Breaking Free
by Mooncat99
Summary: It’s hard to break free. Sometimes, you can only do that with the help of someone else. Someone special. AU. Rogan.
1. Superstitious snob or burglar in catsuit

Title: Breaking Free

Author: Mooncat

Summary: It's hard to break free. Sometimes, you can only do that with the help of someone else. Someone special. AU. Rogan.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Gilmore Girls.

Copyright: Sarah Diaz 2006

Author's note: I really shouldn't start yet another story. But I really wanted to do something AU beside Different and Curveball that's different right from the beginning of Rory and Logan – not too different though because we love those two for a reason after all, right? I hope you'll enjoy their journey in this alternative universe.

Thanks: To my beta Emma, who's mad enough to tackle yet another little novel of mine and sees to it, that the English's correct. Thank you so much!

_**Breaking Free**_

**Chapter 1: Superstitious Snob Or Burglar In A Cat Suit?**

"Logan!"

Logan looked up to see his father heading towards him, his eyes shooting daggers at him and he sighed. Great. He had hoped that news about his little 'joke' of the other night hadn't reached his father yet. But then, he should have known better.

"If I'm not back in half an hour, go call in the National Guards," he muttered under his breath to Finn and Colin, only half joking.

Colin looked at Logan's father approaching and sighed. "I guess he heard the news," he said.

"Fear not, we'll rescue you from the terrible wrath of your father," Finn dramatically promised Logan.

"Look at the positive side… the house is full of guests. It's unlikely he'll rip you open and risk loosing the façade of loving father and son," Colin tried to reassure him as well.

Logan glanced at him. "You remember where we are? Hartford's biggest estate? He could torture me to the point that I'm screaming in agony and none of the caviar-eating and champagne-drinking guests would hear a thing."

Neither Finn nor Colin had time to respond because at that moment, Mitchum Huntzberger had reached the three young men who had just entered the Huntzberger mansion.

"Dad," Logan greeted him with a sigh.

"Spare your breath Logan. Just follow me," Mitchum told him in a tightly controlled voice and turned to head towards his study.

Logan winced. Yep, his father was pretty mad. Not that that was anything new. On a scale of one to ten this was perhaps a six or seven. He had survived worse. He looked at his two best friends and made a face. "See you later," he muttered and turned to follow his father.

His father's study was on the other side of the house and in that house that meant quite a walk. Not that Logan minded. It gave him some time to prepare some answers for his father. And despite his worried comments to his friends, he was kind of glad that his father had the decency to wait with ripping his head off until they had reached the privacy of his study. He wasn't keen on the whole Hartford society, including his friends, to overhear the major chewing down he was about to get. At the same time he was also fairly sure that he'd survive it with his body and his credit cards intact. He had just gotten busted for racing after all. Truth be told, he had done a lot worse things than drive in a race. So it couldn't be that bad, could it?

Finally, they reached the study and his father unlocked the door. The study was his father's domain and God forbid that anyone else other than himself enter the big sanctuary, unless it was on invitation. Or on order. Logan entered the room after his father and softly closed the door behind him. Then he turned to face his father and waited. He didn't have to wait long.

"Want to know who gave me a call just forty minutes before this goddamn party started where you, of course, came late again, despite the clear orders you got from your mother?" his father asked, narrowing his eyes on his son.

Logan shrugged. "No idea," he answered truthfully. His father had contacts everywhere so he really had no clue who had rat him out already. "And traffic was heavy," he added with another shrug.

His father glared. "Or rather said you and your friends prolonged it to the last minute to get here by hitting every bar between New Haven and here," he said with heavy sarcasm.

Logan chose to remain silent. There would be no point in denying it anyway. First of all, because his father wouldn't believe him, regardless of what he will say and second because it was the truth after all. Though they hadn't hit _every_ bar. But he and his friends for sure weren't as crazy as to attend such a society gathering without at least a bit of alcohol in their bodies. Or, like in Finn's case, a lot of alcohol.

"But it's not as if I had expected anything else from you and your sidekicks so let's get back to the call I got," Logan's dad picked up their conversation again, sending him a very icy glare. "It was from Keith."

Ah… so that's who had been his father's source. Keith Wellington, their family's lawyer. Or rather said, one of the many lawyers that worked for the Huntzberger family. Logan sighed. So much for client's confidentiality. But then technically, Wellington worked for his father and got paid by him. So Logan probably shouldn't blame him for ratting him out. In fact, he should be thankful that Wellington had waited almost forty-eight hours before he had contacted Logan's father.

"You pulled a lot of stupid stunts in your life, Logan, but seriously, what in the hell has gotten into you?" His father asked, shaking his head.

"It was just a race, Dad," Logan said. "I don't see what the problem is. I've participated in races before. And there's a pretty big racing car industry out there and car racing is a sport as well."

His father started to pace. "No, of course you don't see the problem here. Why would you? You have never had any sense of responsibility. Barely have one sensible bone in your body. You just live in the moment, only caring to have fun." He stopped in front of Logan. "But let me tell you one thing… doing illegal races on dangerous roads is not just far from being fun, it pretty much is also the dumbest thing you ever have done since sinking your headmaster's car. And of course you sinking our yacht this summer."

"Wow… amazing that I held out that long…" Logan muttered sarcastically under his breath. It was just the break of fall after all.

Unfortunately, his father had heard him. "Oh, you don't have any reasons to be so damn cocky about it, mister."

Logan straightened and with a cleared face, he nodded. "Yes father," he answered in his most perfect dutiful, respectful son voice.

Not that his father hadn't already heard that one before and wasn't fooled by it anymore for years. "You may not take this seriously, but I do and by God, I'll make you take this seriously as well."

"Dad…" Logan finally tried an honest attempt at apologizing to get this behind him.

"I'm not finished yet," his father interrupted him. "I can't ground you anymore though God knows I'd love to do that now. But I can cut off your money Logan, and you better never forget that."

'As if I can ever forget that!' Logan thought bitterly. It was one of the first things his father had taught him after all. But what did he mean, he could cut him off? His father wasn't honestly cutting off the money for a stupid little race?

"As it is I will close off half of your accounts for a month," his father told him.

"What?" Logan incredulously asked.

"And if I ever catch you doing a race again I'll cut you off completely, do I make myself clear?" his father proceeded to tell him.

"Have you lost your mind?" Logan asked, loosing his cool. He knew it was the very wrong thing to say, but really.

"Watch your mouth, Logan," his father warned him.

"It was a race, Dad, not a high score crime, not a major felony and nothing thousands of other people haven't done as well," Logan protested. "I get that you're mad, but this is not justified!"

"Those other thousands of people are of no interest to me. They are not my only son. They are not the heir to our fortune, not the future head of our family company and last but not least, they do not carry our name," his father told him coldly. "But you are. And don't even try to sell me that race as harmless. You got caught driving down a curvy road at 160 mph! That's not only risky, it's deadly dangerous. If something had gone wrong, and it would just have been a rabbit crossing the street when you two idiots came along, it could have cost you your life. At least you were smart enough to not be drunk while driving."

Logan frowned. First of all, that last remark had been unfair. Yeah, he had done a lot of things, but he never ever had driven after having had too much to drink. For that he had Frank. And then… if he didn't know any better, he could almost believe that his father had been worried about him. But he did know better. There was no love lost between his father and him. Actually, love was a foreign concept in their family. Well, with the exception of Honor and him. So he wondered what his father really was aiming for.

"We have invested way too much time and money in you as our heir for you to throw away your life like that. I will not have it," his father told him.

Ah, of course, Logan thought bitterly again. What a shame if the precious heir would have hit the dust before taking over the empire. Or God forbid, before he produced the next heir to add to the long list of reigning Huntzbergers.

"Don't worry, your precious heir was never in any danger," Logan assured him, not able to help the bitterness in his voice. Not that he would have cared about that. But in the eyes of his father it would be a weakness. Like every human emotion was a weakness in Mitchum Huntzberger's eyes.

"At 160 miles per hour?" his father asked sarcastically.

Logan could have told him that it hadn't been quite that fast and only while on a straight road. He could also have told him that the street had been closed off with guards to guarantee that no accidents were going to happen unless one of the drivers lost control of the car. Which could of course always happen, but they had first trained on a race track and no one who wasn't a good driver had been allowed to participate. He could also have an accident while driving from Yale to home or back. Logan happened to like his life. And yeah, he liked adventure and loved to take risks here and there, but he wasn't suicidal. He wouldn't have taken Jenson on his challenge if he hadn't been fairly sure to get out of it with his body intact and as the winner. And he did win the race. Too bad that the police had crashed the victory party before it could even get started. Yeah, Logan could have told his father all of that, but past experience had told him that it would be futile. So he just shrugged.

"We took precautions," he said vaguely, not going into details.

"I'm sure you did," his father retorted with heavy sarcasm and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It was still a dumb and risky thing to do and I really thought you'd know better than that, though I don't know why."

"As if you never did risky things yourself in your youth," Logan pointed out.

"I have, yes, but never so stupid ones and with that much at risk," his father answered him with a frown. He didn't like it if someone contradicted him. Least of all his son.

"Whatever," Logan muttered, trying to hold back what he really thought this time. If he didn't, he'd start to yell and then he'd be stuck there for a lot longer. His father hated being yelled at. He preferred to do the yelling.

"And it's time for you to start getting your life under control," his father continued.

Alarmed, Logan's head snapped up. He didn't like the sound of that one little bit.

"You can't just live for fun and parties anymore. You're in your third year at Yale. Next year you'll graduate and then you'll start working for the company," his father informed him.

Logan frowned and waited. That hadn't been anything new after all. But when his father started to talk like that there was for sure something more to follow. Something he most likely wouldn't like.

"So, I expect a lot more from you this year than so far. Starting with excellent grades, even if that means you'll have to attend a class here and there," his father started his list of demands from Logan. "Then I expect you to provide at least one article to the paper per month. I've already talked with that annoying boy who's currently editor to make sure that he assigns you a topic to write about every month. And it's high time that our employees and contacts start to know your face. So I decided that from now on you'll attend at least a meeting every month with me as well."

Yep. Logan definitely didn't like the sound of that. "Dad…"

"Don't even start. I gave you enough time to be wild. For years now I watched you do one stupid thing after another. I paid the damages you've caused, I bailed you out of jail, I paid the lawyers… and, I more or less put up with your recklessness," his father interrupted him. "I foolishly thought that you'd calm down a bit in college. But it only got worse. You had last year off from school, to do whatever you wanted, to be as wild as you can be. But that year is over now. This is life, regardless of what your destiny is and what the future holds for you. You will work, you will go to classes and I don't want to hear about more stupid stunts or pranks. If I have to bail you out again I might just let you do the thirty days for a change. If you don't do what I say, you'll feel it in your wallet. Everything clear?"

Logan shook his head. "You all promised me to give me until the end of Yale before you will start to hone down on me. Like you yourself said, I still have two years to go."

"That was before we let you sail around the world for a year," his father informed him coldly. "And before you started to risk your life on some stupid games."

"Oh, so that's why you let me take the year off in the first place, didn't you? I always wondered why you let me go so easily," Logan said, his voice rising. "That was your plan all along, wasn't it? Give me that year off but steal my last two years in return. Jeez! Why didn't I see that coming?"

He had grown up with that man dictating all his life. Of course he should have known that sooner or later he'd have to pay the price for that year off. But out of some strange reason Logan had thought that for once, his father might have even understood him. He had taken time off as well after all, years before. Once upon a time, his father had been in the same situation as Logan.

"I'd hardly call that stealing," his father said, but there was the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, yeah? What would you call it then? I'm surprised you haven't hired a babysitter for me, just to make sure I'll go to my classes!" Logan retorted.

"Don't be ridiculous," his father said with disgust.

"Of course, you don't need a babysitter for that, do you? I bet you alerted all my professors to keep you informed, didn't you?" Logan spat.

"You didn't really leave me any choice, did you?" his father asked with a shrug.

"I may not have attended every class but I never, ever, brought home bad grades, have I? You never had to complain about my grades," Logan pointed out angrily. He couldn't believe this!

"This is college now. You've missed a year. And I don't want good grades, I want you to live up to your potential and finish off next year in the top three percent. Anything less is unacceptable," his father told him.

"And what if I don't? You threaten to cut me off again? To ground me?" Logan wanted to know sardonically.

"Don't get snappy at me, Logan," his father warned him.

"I'm not snappy! You haven't heard snappy yet!" Logan impatiently corrected his father. "And what did you expect? That I'd just let you ruin my life without a fight?"

"Ruin your life? I'm saving that rotten life of yours. Just because you've been born rich with a respected name doesn't mean that you can party away your entire life. Even you have to work and I'm only making sure that when you take over the family business, I'm leaving it in your very capable hands… that you won't ruin what I've build up my entire life, what your grandfather build up and his father before him… that you'll not ruin everything in less than five years," his father said icily.

"I never asked for this!" Logan hissed.

"Oh I'm sure you'd rather be some lost kid in the streets of New York," his father mocked him.

"Have you ever thought that perhaps you could just give me enough air to breathe on my own? To let me live my life and let me make my own decisions? Without being constantly on my back?" Logan asked resentfully.

"Yeah, I see how well that turned out," his father said dryly.

"No. No you don't. Because you never gave me the chance. Never," Logan accused him. He didn't know why he even bothered. It was nothing new that Mitchum Huntzberger didn't listen to what his son had to say or anyone else in their family for that matter. Not even his own father. Not anymore.

"You have your chance now. Prove to me that you'll get your life under control and I may go back on one or two conditions," his father offered him.

"And I should believe you, why?" Logan asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

His father shrugged. "That's entirely up to you."

"Yeah sure," Logan said and shook his head. He wasn't one to give in easily. But he never had had a chance against his father. His father's mind was set and nothing, nothing could change that. He sighed, resigned. "Fine Dad. That's all? Can I go back to my friends now? I still have to greet Mom after all. Not to mention to mingle with the guests."

"Sure, just remember our little conversation," his father nodded and waved him on.

Logan gave a short nod and turned to head towards the door.

"Oh and Logan?" his father stopped him after he barely had taken three steps though.

Frowning, Logan looked back over his shoulder. What now?

"Your mother would like you to meet some particular people," his father mentioned casually. "Be sure not to vanish with your friends before you do that."

Logan's frown deepened. This was definitely another thing he wasn't going to like, he just knew it. "What people?" he asked suspiciously. He hoped it wasn't what he feared what it was.

"Oh, just some of our friends with their kids," his father said with a shrug, managing to sound even more casually.

Logan didn't buy it. "Kids?"

"Yeah you know. Kids," his father nodded.

Slowly, Logan turned to face his father again. "And they don't happen to be all girls by any chance?" he asked distrustfully.

When his father said nothing, Logan shook his head, his blood boiling. "Forget it."

"Like I said Logan, it's time you calm down. That also goes for all your acquaintances. This sleeping around has to come to an end," his father told him with a little frown.

"Oh…" Logan managed to utter through gritted teeth.

"Frankly said, it's time you settle down. There are quite a few girls here tonight who your mother and I think would be a suitable companion for you," his father informed him.

"No," Logan said sharply.

His father, his entire family trying to dictate his life and future was bad enough as it was. But there was no way that he'd let them butt into his love life too. Not now. Not ever… if he had any say so in that matter. But that was the problem. He wasn't entirely sure that he had a say in it in the end.

"Logan…"

"No. I'll write the articles. I'll go to classes. I'll even go to your stupid meetings. But I won't let you order me what girl or how many girls I date. If I want a girlfriend, then I'll find one. And at the time _I_ think appropriate," Logan abruptly told his father, decisively. This wasn't a point to back down or show any weakness to his father.

"The last girl you brought along to a party hardly remembered her own name," his father pointed out, his frown deepening.

"She had other qualities," Logan said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I've seen them," his father dryly replied. "Really, Logan. We expect you to attend more parties now and we expect your date to get along with our friends and associates. Or at least get past the introduction part with them. So far the girls you brought along were hardly acceptable. But your mother…"

"Mom's taste is not exactly my taste," Logan interrupted him. "I'm well capable to search for a suitable lady companion myself."

His father already started to shake his head again.

"And I'll promise that whoever I'll take along to those boring parties will know how to handle the folks," Logan promised, cringing inside a little. That meant he had to actually find one of the society girls willing to accompany him to those stupid parties and play the act with him. But then, he had some friends who were probably facing the same problem as he was and wouldn't expect anything out of those 'dates'. But if that was the price to keep his last freedom, then he'd pay it.

"You don't have exactly the best track record of choosing the appropriate people," his father said doubtfully.

"Leave Finn and Colin out of this," Logan said curtly, knowing exactly what his father meant and not wanting to get into yet another fight.

"But they are excellent examples of what happens when you're left on your own decisions," his father though argued, apparently having no qualms to start another fight.

His father had never liked Finn and Colin anyway, not since it got clear that they were as bad and uncontrolled as Logan, if not even worse, at least in the case of Finn. The only thing in their favor was that they were both from as powerful families as the Huntzbergers. And Colin's father was an old friend of Mitchum Huntzberger, going a long way back. It was hard then to forbid his son to see his friend's son. He had tried to break the close friends apart by sending Logan to different boarding schools from Finn's and Colin's. Thankfully, that hadn't worked. Despite the great distance, they stayed as close friends as they always had been… if not even closer. But truth be told, neither Finn's parents nor Colin's father were too happy about their friendship either. Yet, their friendship was one of the few things none of the boys had let their parents take away from them.

"Yeah, they are. But of course you don't see that. You never see what you don't want to see," Logan hissed.

"I see enough. I see that they are always there whenever you get into trouble. And I see that neither of those two is taking his life seriously or his responsibilities," his father said, his voice rising now as well. "They drag you down. They hold you back when they shouldn't ,and, none of those two had a bit of sense left to hold you back from doing yet another stupidity. I can only hope that you'll have so much to do this year that…"

At that moment, the door to the study opened. Startled at the interruption, his father fell silent as they both turned to see who dared to disturb Mitchum Huntzberger in his inner sanctuary. _Everyone_ in this household knew better than to do that.

But the girl that appeared in the doorframe was definitely not a member of this household. Actually, Logan had no idea who the girl was and, after glancing at his father, he was pretty sure neither had his father.

"Oh sorry. I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" she asked shyly, her cheeks blushing. "I knocked but I guess neither of you heard me."

"What do you want?" Logan's father asked rather rudely, abruptly. He didn't like interruptions. Especially not by strangers.

"It's just… your wife's looking desperately for you, Sir," she answered nervously, her eyes meeting those of Logan's father. To Logan's immense surprise though, her eyes then turned to meet Logan's. "And for you too, Logan. Plus, Finn and Colin are asking for you as well, saying something of dying of boredom if you don't show up soon."

Logan stared speechlessly at the girl. He could have sworn that he had never seen this girl before. Yet, here she was, talking as if she knew him and his friends very well. He frowned. And he wasn't the only one. His father was frowning as well.

"My wife sent you?" he asked doubtfully.

It was very unlikely. Logan's mother, like everyone else in this family knew better than to disturb Mitchum Huntzberger in his study. And if she had needed to do so, she would have sent a maid, not a guest. Unless… perhaps this was some evil scheme for Logan to meet this girl and fall for her. Yeah, that would be just like his mother. His eyes narrowed on the girl. The only thing that spoke against that was the fact that this girl was hardly similar to the girls that his mother usually picked for him. For one, she wasn't blonde, but brunette. His mother liked blondes. Secondly, she was definitely pretty, but not out of the ordinary. Though her eyes, which shone with the clearest blue he had ever seen, were really beautiful. And most of all, there was something in those blue eyes that spoke of intelligence and humor. Nothing his mother ever went for in a girl, perhaps because she herself had nothing else up in her head but gossip, nor had she any humorous bone in her body. Then again, that could just be her trick this time. Pick out some girl for him he knew wasn't exactly her type. Because though his mother wasn't exactly a genius, she for sure was a damn good schemer and a vicious one at that.

"Yes, Sir. It sounded kind of urgent," the girl said nodding, her voice perfectly respectful.

"I better go see what this is all about," Logan's father said after another moment of scrutinizing the girl under his eyes. Not that she seemed to be impressed or even affected by that which was quite extraordinary. Normally, people shivered in fear of Mitchum Huntzberger. Shaking his head, he glanced at his son. "And you…"

"I've heard you," Logan said stiffly, cutting him off. Regardless if the girl was a decoy of his mother or not, he didn't want to go into this again, right in front of her.

His father actually seemed to share this feeling as he nodded curtly and then waved for the girl and Logan to leave the room. Naturally. He wouldn't even allow the president of the United States to remain alone in his sanctuary. The girl didn't seem to need another invitation as she already backtracked and Logan quickly left the study as well. It wasn't as if he liked being in there. Nothing good had ever happened in there for Logan. Besides, he was curious to learn more about the girl. He watched her hovering close to the wall while his father locked the door to his study once again.

Finally, his father turned to look at the two young people. With a nod of his head, Logan told him to go ahead. His father frowned and looked from the girl to Logan, before giving Logan a stern look. "Don't take too long," he said in a half warning, half disgusted sound. Apparently he seemed to think now that Logan had a way more basic interest in the girl. But he did turn to head back to the main hall full of guests waiting for their host, without another word.

Logan snickered. What did his father think? That he'd do a swift quickie with that girl? The only reason why he had lingered back and had not just gone back with his father was because he wanted to know who she was. Or more precisely, if she was what he thought she was. A decoy of his mother. He turned to face the girl, watching her for a moment. When she had entered the study she had looked pretty confident and sure about herself. She hadn't backed down while faced with his father's annoyance. Now though she looked a bit uncomfortable.

"So my mother sent you?" he asked after a moment, inclining his head.

Her eyes darted briefly towards him. "It seems so, doesn't it?"

"Sure. I just wonder why she didn't simply send the maid or the butler," Logan remarked casually, never letting her out of his eyes.

She shrugged, but avoided his eyes. "Perhaps no one else was around at the moment or too busy," she answered vaguely.

Logan narrowed his eyes. This girl was lying, as much was obvious. She wasn't a very good liar. The question was in what point she was lying and why. Though he began to have a hunch. He nodded slowly. "Perhaps… say, my mother still in her black hair phase?" he asked.

When she blushed and said nothing, Logan nodded. That's what he had thought. This girl had never been sent by his mother. In fact, he was pretty sure now that she probably had never met her so far. That was a relief. Then again, that left the question what she was doing back here. This part of the house was not open for the guests. Was she perhaps sneaking around? Not a thought that pleased Logan particularly either. But then, she had mentioned Finn and Colin. Perhaps the boys had sent her. True, it was unlikely as well, but on the other hand you never could be sure with what a drunken Finn on a mission could come up with.

Well, there was a pretty simple way to put an end to all these questions that plagued Logan right now. "What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly, not in the mood for polite interrogation after the fight with his father.

She sighed, glancing at him again. "I guess it doesn't have much sense to try the messenger story again, huh?" she asked, resigned.

Logan felt a tug at the corner of his mouth but suppressed it. Instead, he shook his head and narrowed his eyes to slits. "No."

"I thought so," the girl said with another sigh. "But just so you know, I wasn't trying to sneak around. I know it may look like that, but I honestly wasn't."

Logan said nothing and just raised an eyebrow. He actually believed her. She did seem to be honest here. Or then she was a damn good actress. Something he doubted very much, considering the horrible way she had lied. It still left the question though what she was doing in this part of the house.

As the girl realized that he was waiting for more, she continued. "And though it may sound lame, but I got lost. But honestly, this place is _huge_. It's no wonder I got lost. I bet a lot of people get lost in here. Seriously, they should put up sign posts!" She shook her head and this time, Logan couldn't hold back the smile. Not that she noticed. She was too lost in her rambling for that by now. "Anyway, you see, Grandpa and another old guy started talking about books and got into a fight about a scene in Faust. The other guy got so agitated that he wouldn't stop anymore and wouldn't give a rest until he saw the proof that he was wrong. Because he was wrong you know. But like I said, he was pretty stubborn, I don't think he's used to hearing no'. So, not very surprisingly, they soon headed to the library and I tagged along as I really wanted to see the library. Considering how big this mansion is and after having seen the Velasquez and the Rafael and all the other stuff I'm pretty sure of that they are the real thing and not in fact copies I thought that the library probably would be pretty impressive as well. And boy, it was! Never seen so many first editions or signed copies in a private collection, not that I've seen many private collections, only that of my grandpa and mine of course, but that one doesn't really count because there's nothing of much worth to be found there but the few things Grandpa gave me. Won't stop me to love my books though of course. Okay, not important, I know. So, there we were and while they looked up the scene in Faust, I wandered around, looking at the books. And yeah, I pulled out some books to leaf through them a bit. I'm not sure if that was allowed but hey, books are there to be read so that's what I was doing and then I look up at one point and see that I'm suddenly alone in there and my watch was telling me that almost half an hour has gone by without me noticing it. So I leave but do you think I had any idea where I was or how to get back to the party? I'd have followed the chitter-chatter and those boring music that's playing but guess what? I couldn't hear a damn thing." She shook her head annoyed. "Really, if you ask me, this place is way too big. I mean sure, I guess the grandeur for sure impresses and tells anyone that hey, here live some really rich people, and boy, they sure have a great collection here, it's like in a museum. I just think a home shouldn't feel like a museum. Can you imagine being happy, living here? Anyway, so I wander around, trying to find my way back to that stupid party but I probably took the wrong turn because I ended up here and I tell you, I was seriously considering calling the police to launch a search party for me when I finally heard voices from there." She nodded at the study and shrugged. "I was so relieved to hear voices again. Then I realized though that… yeah well it sounded as you and your father..." she stopped.

"Were having an argument, a fight," Logan helped out, more than just a bit amused by her ramble now.

She nodded, blushing. "Yeah. And I wondered if I should not just go on and hope to find my way back on my own again, but I was hungry and thirsty and then I heard your father's comments about your friends and I really don't like it when someone criticizes another person's friends so I thought what the hell, I might as well put a stop to both our miseries by interrupting you. I'm sorry I lied about your mother sending me, but when your father looked at me as if he wanted to skin me alive I thought suddenly that perhaps me being lost isn't the best excuse to disturb you two and already I was telling that story I told." The girl finished and took a deep breath.

Logan couldn't blame her. That was the longest rambling monologue he had ever heard in his life. He had no idea when that girl had breathed, but she must have at some point in time. Amused he watched as she bit her lip and looked embarrassed at him as her ramble dawned on her, causing her blush to intensify into a deep crimson red. It had been some time since he had met a girl who actually still had the ability to blush. Or that could ramble like that and at the same time prove that she really was intelligent or at least well educated. The Rafael they had in the lobby was a pretty famous painting of the artist, one that the family often loaned out to museums. Not the Velasquez though. That one was a rare piece of art and even in their highly educated circle only a few could actually recognize it. It intrigued him. Actually, Logan realized with a start, this girl intrigued him. And it was a while since that had happened, if ever. He got attracted pretty fast to a girl and he definitely felt that too towards her. But intrigued? Hardly ever.

He let his eyes glide over her again, this time taking time to give her a proper once over. She was wearing a dark green evening dress, velvet, that hugged close to her body, pointing out her slim, but delicate figure and at the same time it accentuated her curves in a nice, but decent way. _Very_ nice curves. The dress was floor length so he couldn't have a good look at her legs but the tiny feet, naked in black sandals with little high heels, promised that he'd like them as well. His eyes glided up again, taking in the white, porcelain skin that he bet was silky to touch, the neckline that was a bit too up-closed for Logan's tastes but somehow, with this girl, it was just perfect that way, the simple, but elegant dark green pendant and the fitting earrings. Her dark brown hair that curled softly around her face. Blue eyes and green seldom match, but here the dark green brought out the clarity of her crystal blue eyes. But somehow he missed the sparkle he had seen there before for a moment during her ramble and he found himself wishing to bring the sparkling back into those eyes.

The question was how so. But then, mostly, humor would do the trick. Or perhaps also annoyance. Well, he was good at both so it shouldn't be so hard to achieve to get those eyes sparkling again.

"So you got lost," Logan summarized finally after a moment, smirking.

Her eyes narrowed a tad. "Yeah. I think I said that clearly."

"Because you kind of got caught up in the library," Logan clarified further, his smirk growing.

"Yes," the girl said briefly.

"Right," Logan nodded. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted to believe this. His instinct told him that the girl said the truth, but he had still a little trouble believing the story. First, why would a young, pretty girl stuck around her grandpa and even follow him to the library? And then get lost in the books? To then get totally lost. Though the house _was_ big. And he couldn't believe that anyone could fake such a ramble – or such a cute blush. Okay, so perhaps he did believe her. Didn't mean though he couldn't tease her a little. Something told him that it was a great fun to tease this girl. "And how can I know for sure this is the truth and that you didn't sneak around to later break in and rob the house clean?"

Her eyes widened as she stared flabbergasted at him. "What?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "I mean, that's the classic scheme, isn't it? First con your way into a fancy party to then sneak away to memorize the blueprint of the house and the locations of the good and worthy stuff. Who would suspect a pretty girl like you after all? With those big, blue, innocent looking eyes? But later, when the owners are away, you come back and break in."

The girl snapped for air. "Are you seriously hinting that I'm a thief? Jeez! Have you lost all your marbles now? Do I look like a thief? Or like Jessica Alba? And how stupid do you think I am? I'm checking out the house and then draw attention to myself by interrupting two people arguing when you never would have known that I've been here at all?"

He had been right, this had done the trick. There was the sparkle in her eyes again. And he started to really enjoy this conversation now. Logan took a step closer to her, wanting to get closer, drawn in by some powerful attraction he felt. His eyes locked onto hers. "That could be just your master plan," he pointed out softly.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're completely nuts and believe me, I know nuts. You are definitely nuts if you really believe the crap you just said."

Logan took another step closer, causing her to take one back with a confused look at him and which brought her back right up against the wall. Hmm, somehow he very much liked this sight. It held a lot of promises. "Of course it could also be that your mommy pointed me to you and you were following me, waiting for the right moment to approach me and draw my attention to you," he suggested, his voice growing huskier.

"And why should I want to do that?" she snorted, but he could see that her chest rose and fell more now, indicating that her breath had deepened. Not a bad sign.

"Oh, I think the few billions I'll inherit are a pretty good reason for that. Not to mention my position in society and the power that comes along with that. I am the big price on the current market after all," Logan pointed out casually. His eyes locked with hers, sparkling with fire now, and, enticed by that fire, he leaned into her, capturing her with his arms and body against the wall, but not touching her. Not yet. "Or," he said, almost a whisper now, his mouth only inches away from hers. "Or you've fallen madly in love with me and are now desperately trying to make me notice you, going to some really drastic measures," he suggested and started to lean his body even closer to hers.

"In your dreams perhaps," the girl answered, but Logan noticed that her breath got caught slightly. His nearness seemed to affect her. And he couldn't say that he was displeased about that either. Quite the contrary actually.

"Oh, I can guarantee you that I'd do much more interesting things with you in my dreams," he said suggestive, with a smile, his voice going deeper. Logan loved to flirt. And he loved to tease. To do both at the same time was always a special treat for him and he found himself wanting this girl more and more by every second that went by.

This time, the girl's breath got definitely caught and Logan watched with rising excitement as her eyes stared at his lips for a moment before she dragged them up to look into his eyes.

"You better keep it in your dreams, Logan, before I make sure you never do it again in your life," she told him so sweetly and with such an innocent smile, that Logan's brain needed quite a while to process her words. When it did though, he quickly checked in her eyes if he could ignore her warning or if he better took it seriously. The glint in her eyes gave him his answer.

What a shame. He had the feeling that the two of them could have been very, very good. Too bad she didn't want to take him up on his offer.

With a laugh, he pushed himself away from her and stepped back. "I think in that case I prefer to be content with dreams," he chuckled, looking mischievously at her.

Huffing, she quickly pushed herself away from the wall as well, making a wide detour around Logan, her eyes shooting daggers at him. Surprisingly though, he didn't mind them at all. Anger suited her. Suited her damn well. So good that he wished he hadn't pulled back so abruptly. Perhaps she would have been open to a little convincing.

"You're impossible," she hissed.

Or perhaps not.

"What? Already regretting your decision?" Logan smirked. "You should, you know. It's your loss."

"Thank you, but I think I can live on just fine," she said sarcastically. "Well, it was nice meeting you… not. See if I ever try to help you again," she told him and with a last fiery glare at him, turned and headed away from him.

"I thought you were lost?" Logan called after her.

"I am. But I'm sure I can find my way back to the party perfectly on my own," she called back, not bothering to look back at him or to even stop.

"Oh, sure, I have no doubts about that," Logan said, sounding anything but sincere. He saw her back stiffen, but she still didn't stop. "Hey Max!" he called out.

To his surprise, she actually stopped to turn back to him after a moment, raising an eyebrow at him.

Logan grinned. "The party's the other way," he told her, pointing into the opposite direction from where she had went off.

She frowned. "Your father headed this way," she pointed out.

"Perhaps he got lost as well," Logan answered with a shrug. Actually, his father had taken a little shortcut, one he had no intention of showing this girl. The official way went into the other direction altogether. "But if you want to stray for a few hours longer around in this house, sure, just go on. Like you said, this house is enormous. But don't worry, if you haven't found your way back until I leave I'll send out a search party for you."

He could tell that she wasn't quite sure what to do. In the end, though, she held up her head and brushed past him into the direction he had pointed out to her. Snickering, he ambled after her. At the end of the corridor, she hesitated shortly, before turning right.

"Left Maxie," Logan corrected her, catching up to her.

She let out a little growl but did turn around to go left, Logan on her heels now. After a few steps, she stopped and whirled around to face him angrily. "Stop following me!"

Logan raised an eyebrow. "Me? Following you? Sorry honey, got to disappoint you. I'm just heading back to the party myself," he assured her. "Remember? My mom's looking for me. I couldn't let her wait, now, could I?"

"Ugh!" was her only response before she turned again to follow through the corridor.

Logan grinned. "Besides, I gotta make sure you don't get 'lost' again, shouldn't I?" he added casually.

"Hmpf!" she huffed, but otherwise tried her best to ignore him.

But if Logan didn't like one thing, it was to be ignored. And he downright loved a challenge. Besides, annoying this girl was fun. He needed some fun now. It did a great deal to let him forget the news his father had for him. At least for now.

"I don't want the risk of ending up as your accomplice after all," he continued in the same casual tone. "When are you going to do the break-in? This weekend? I believe the family will be away then. Oops, I probably shouldn't have said that, hmm? Oh well, I'll just have to hope that the judge will see that I'm completely innocent, having fallen victim to this alluring, deceiving burglar, mercilessly using my weakness for anything beautiful for her vicious plans."

"Ha!" The girl couldn't stop herself from retorting, causing Logan to grin widely. "And if he isn't convinced by that, something I very highly doubt, Daddy will just have a nice chat with him and leave him a nice, little bribe," the girl threw back dryly and stopped to look right and left, trying to figure out where to next.

"Right," Logan provided helpfully.

She glared again, but turned right.

"You know, we could make this a lot easier if you just let me take the lead. Will give you a good opportunity to check out my behind as well, though you undoubtedly have already done that, haven't you," Logan suggested. "And don't worry, you're not the first girl who melted to mush at that indeed glorious view."

"Must be nice to live in such a delusional state," the girl remarked, sending him a death glare.

"Just stating the truth here," Logan corrected her.

"God's gift to women, huh?" the girl asked and he was pretty sure that she had rolled her eyes, saying that.

"See? You're admitting it finally," Logan immediately fired back.

"You're not my type. But I'm sure there are girls out there that are so desperate or so dumb that they can look past the obvious character flaws in you and may perhaps even be able to stand you," the girl protested, flustered.

"As Wilder stated so poignantly: Nobody is perfect," Logan said with a shrug.

"Yeah, but there are things that are forgivable. Like a woman being a man in reality. And I find it highly interesting that you chose that quotation of all the many great words spoken on celluloid by the way," the girl pointed out and sent another glare his way. "But there are things not forgivable and superstitious arrogance is definitely one of them."

Logan frowned lightly. "Careful Maxie, I may start to believe that you don't like me anymore," he said with a little pout.

"I never liked you in the first place. I don't like rich, arrogant playboys, never have and never will, especially when they honestly believe that they're God's gift to women and that no being with two X chromosomes can ever resist them," the girl told him curtly.

"And I'm a rich, arrogant playboy?" Logan asked with a grin. Well, he was undoubtedly rich. And definitely a playboy. Nor was it any secret that he was a ladies' man. He disagreed a bit with the arrogant part though.

She stopped to give him a poignant look before she moved on again.

"Well, then you're a snob," Logan calmly stated.

Boy did that sent her up the walls!

"What?!" she almost shrieked, whirling around to him again.

"You're a snob," Logan repeated with a nod.

"I am not a snob! I'm anything else but a snob. In fact, I'm the exact opposite of a snob!" she defended herself furiously. Wow, she really didn't like to be called the mean s word.

"You judge me without knowing me. While you told me your being 'lost' story you judged the man that your grandfather challenged and weren't too nice about the people living in this museum, as you called it. I'm sure I'm right when I assume that you know none of these people. Judging people without knowing them equals snobbism," Logan lectured her. "Plus, you seem to have issues with wealth. So when you decide to automatically dislike anyone rich, you're definitely a snob."

For a moment, she stared open-mouthed at him and he grinned smugly. Looked like he had just won their little debate.

"Which brings me to the fact that you're probably superstitious as well, because you may not like the rich but obviously you're yourself one of them, judging by the fact that that very nice dress you're wearing can't be found in any Wal-Mart or thrift shop or the fact that you're here at this party in the first place because believe me, anyone attending here tonight has at least a few millions in his or her bank account. Not to mention that those stones you're wearing aren't cheap either, quite the contrary," Logan continued his lecture, enjoying the way her eyes narrowed more and more until they were nothing more than two cobalt blue slits, shooting two big laser beams at him. "Or you are, like already mentioned, a very convincing pretty thief who somehow managed to get into this party." He waited a beat before finishing. "So what is it, Maxie? Superstitious snob or burglar in a cat suit?"

"I tell you what it is, Mr. So-Sure-Of-Himself-That-This-Stratosphere's-Not-Big-Enough-For-Your-Ego," the girl hissed, poking a finger into his chest, hard. "It's the girl that will shove your balls so much up your ass that you'll be unable to move even your pinky finger for at least a week if you don't stop following me, annoying me and hitting on me. And _then_ I'll go out there and tell every single guest and the whole world that you couldn't bring it up even if you'd had a ton of Viagra, not that it matters anyway because there's not really anything worth standing up. Now leave me alone and for your own sake you better not come near me again, cretin," she finished with a last stab into his chest and turned around to walk away from him.

Rubbing at his chest, Logan grinned. That girl has a very mean finger. "Love you too, Maxie!" he called after her.

She stopped and looked at him with an intense laser glare that would have made him explode into a million pieces, before she turned again and went on, not saying another word. Logan let her go this time. She just had to head straight and she'd be back at the party.

But Jeez, that girl had some temper, he thought grinning. And character. Logan hadn't known so far that he liked temper and character in a girl but apparently he did, because he definitely had enjoyed his encounter with the little spitfire. So much that he actually hoped that she indeed was one of his parents' guests. He needed to find out who Maxie really was. Because he definitely wanted to bug this girl a bit more. Actually, he wanted to do a lot more than just bug her. And, none of the things he had in mind were anything but x-rated.

* * *

TBC!


	2. Mingling

**Chapter 2: Mingling**

"Logan, there you are!" Logan's mother exasperatedly breathed as she hurried towards him the moment he stepped into the big hall. "Where on earth have you been this long? Your father came back ages ago and is already socializing with some of the men. Really Logan, when will you start to take on your responsibilities? You're the host, you should have at least the decency to greet your guests!" she scolded in a low voice, always with a fake smile plastered on her face.

Annoyed, Logan gave her a look. "No, Mom, _you_ are the host, not me. They are your guests and perhaps Dad's, but certainly not mine."

"That's hardly the point! You were supposed to be here at six thirty, yet you came late at seven, not that I was surprised by that," his mother hissed, smiling through the room at one of her guests. "Then your father of course had to drag you away immediately. I haven't asked him yet what you did this time, but judging from the expression on your father's face, I can only guess it was another one of your foolish pranks. Really, Logan, you knew we had this party tonight and how important this party is for both your father's business and this family's social status. Couldn't you have waited with whatever you did until after tonight?"

Trust Shira Huntzberger to ruin someone's good mood, Logan thought bitterly. His encounter with the girl before had seriously lifted his spirits after the fight with his father and the whole prospect of having to face this boring party. But it sure just got deflated again. Apparently, his parents had nothing better to do than scold him to no end tonight. The only one who was missing now to join them was his grandfather and it would be like every other family gathering of the past twenty-two years. God, he definitely needed a drink. But he wouldn't get a drink before he did do some amend work. He hated doing that. But on the other hand, to finally get a drink was more important now.

"Okay Mom, I'm sorry. I'll try to be more considerate next time," he apologized sarcastically.

The sarcasm earned him a glare. "There's no need to get so snotty. And you better be more considerate next time. I won't put up with you messing with our parties anymore. Now come," she said and took his arm into a firm grasp. "It's time you greet some people."

Logan's eyes widened. What was it with his parents today? First his father was chewing him out for the race and actually cutting off half of his accounts for a month and demanding that he should get more serious about college and the Company and now his mother was threatening him as well? Wanted him to do the boring mingling without anything to drink? No, no, no!

"Uh Mom, I can't…" he started to say, but got interrupted by an icy glare.

"You can and you will, Logan. You will not get out of this. Now pull yourself together," she ordered him quietly but definitely before she stopped in front of a bunch of people, her smile big and pleasant. "Keith and Hillary! I'm so glad you made it. It has been ages!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

Hillary gave a matching smile right back at her. "Indeed Shira, that it is. I got to compliment you. Your party is wonderful. But then, I didn't expect anything less. Your parties are always perfect, aren't they, Keith?"

Keith grunted something. Probably he was thinking that this whole farce was ridiculous. That was what Logan thought after all.

"Well, I'm sure you remember my son, Logan?" his mother asked, pushing him slightly forward.

"Of course, lovely to see you again, Logan." Hillary smiled at him.

Groaning inwardly, Logan plastered on his society mask and smiled. "Always a pleasure to see you, Hillary, Keith," he greeted them. He had no idea who they were or what their last name was. The only thing he knew was that at some point, he had seen them at another boring party.

"Do you remember my daughters?" Hillary asked and pulled two girls who stood close forward. "It's been a while since you've last seen them, with you gone for a year and being at college and all. Hope and Gillian?"

Groaning louder inside, Logan smiled at the girls. One had golden-blond hair and was probably about his age; the other one had ash-blond hair and looked as if she was barely sixteen. He assumed the older one was Hope – and the one he was supposed to add to the list of possible future brides. Ugh. No thank you.

"Nice to meet you again," he told the girls.

They bobbled their head in unison.

"Well, it's been lovely to have seen you, but you know how it is as hosts," his mother said, looking apologizing. "Hillary, be sure to give me a call soon so we can chat properly again."

Hillary smiled. "Of course, Shira. You go and take care of your guests. Logan, it's been a pleasure to see you again."

Logan nodded politely and already, his mother dragged him to the next couple – and the next daughter, about his age and blond again. Not that he was surprised. His mother loved blond. And from what he had gathered she was pretty determined to have the next generation of the Huntzbergers blond as well. Hence the fleet of blond girls she tried to set him up with time and time again. Now, not that Logan disliked blondes – but he didn't really care about the hair color in a girl. A black-haired girl could be as beautiful as a blond one. Or a brunette one, he thought, remembering the little spitfire from before with a smile. Now that was something he wanted in his future wife: humor, the ability to make him laugh and smile. None of the girls that got presented to him by his mother and by the proud and hopeful mothers seemed to even make the corners of his mouth to lift.

They were dull. Boring. One like the other.

What was his mother thinking? She was the one who always had preached him that not everyone could be allowed to marry into the Huntzberger clan, especially not their breach of the arm as they were the head of the family. His future wife had to be sophisticated, beautiful, rich, well connected and one hell of an organizer, a woman that would shine at his arms and bear him perfect new heirs. From what he could gather in the few minutes he had to spend with the different girls none of them met all those criteria. And certainly not one of his own, would he really be already looking for a wife… which he wasn't. Because for him, other things would be important. He didn't want a second Shira as a wife. He wanted someone he could actually stand to spend time with. That meant she had to be smart and witty as well. Unfortunately, smart, witty, rich girls of the right blood were scarce. Very scarce. The girls of his circle still got drilled to be the perfect wives, despite it being the twenty-first century. Meaning, they were drilled to be boring. There were exceptions of course and more and more girls started to rebel against that. Yeah, feminism had reached even the old-fashioned Hartford society. Not the girls he had met so far though – as much was clear, even with the little words he had to talk to them.

All in all, an hour and twenty, thirty prospective wives with their parents later, Logan had seen and heard enough and was ready to tell the next mother who will say to him what a pleasure it was to see him again that she could shove her false smile up her ass and choke on the even more false words.

"So, Laura, Bill, it's wonderful to have you here. And you, Lydia, good luck at college," his mother was saying her farewell to the latest family and exchanging a few last smiles, she moved on, dragging Logan with her.

Grudgingly, Logan halted her by stopping himself. "Come on Logan, there are still a few…"

"I've greeted enough people now. And I think I have definitely met enough girls now," Logan protested.

"I'll say when you've met enough people. And please, try to be more polite from now on, especially to the girls," his mother informed him icily.

Logan looked incredulously at her. "What more do you want? I smile, I shake hands, I lie…"

"Emily!" his mother interrupted him, sending him a warning glare, before she turned her eyes to the person at Logan's back. "I'm delighted you made it, despite Richard's heavy schedule."

Gulping down the rest of the words that were still stuck in his throat, Logan turned around to smile at Emily Gilmore. At least he knew her well enough. And at least this time he would get spared meeting another prospective bride.

"Shira. Just wanted to compliment you for this party. It's wonderful. And I envy you for that caterer! The buffet is delicious!" Emily greeted his mother.

His mother smiled, pleased, and Logan suppressed a snicker. His mother lived in a year long competition with Emily Gilmore now. Emily was famous for her perfectly planned and organized parties. She may not be quite from the same money as the Huntzbergers, but she was the undeniable queen of the society parties and head of far more charity boards than his mother liked.

"Thank you, Emily, coming from you that's really a compliment," his mother said sweetly and looked around. "And where's Richard?"

Emily shrugged. "Oh you know him. We were barely here and he already wandered off with the boys," she said with a sigh.

Logan's mother laughed. "That sounds like our men. He's probably with Mitchum, smoking a cigar over in the men's room."

"Probably. That or getting himself a scotch from Elias' secret stock," Emily nodded smiling and her eyes slid over to Logan. "Logan, it's good to see you again."

Switching on the charm, Logan took her hand and gave her a gallant hand kiss. Anyone who managed to score against his mother time and time again deserved nothing less. "Emily, the pleasure's all mine."

Emily laughed and slapped his arm lightly. "Save your charm for the girls your age, Logan," she told him and looked back to Shira. "He's worse than Elias was, back in his days," she mentioned.

Logan raised an eyebrow. His grandfather? A charmer? He had a very hard time believing that. He knew his grandfather was grumpy, demanding and sharp-tongued, if not downright cruel, but not a charmer.

"He sure was," his mother simply agreed with a sigh, but then brightened again. "Now Emily, where's that wonderful granddaughter of yours you never stop talking about? I thought I saw you arrive with her in tow, didn't you?"

Alarmed, Logan's head snapped up. A granddaughter? Since when did the Gilmores have a granddaughter? He hadn't even known that they had any children!

"Oh, she disappeared with Richard, I think," Emily said with a sigh, looking around the room. "Oh wait, there comes Richard. Richard!" she called out to her husband and waved him over to them.

Richard Gilmore came over and handed her a vodka martini before he turned to greet Logan and his mother. "Shira, you look lovely as always."

"Thank you Richard. Emily just complained to me that you all abandoned her," his mother greeted him.

Richard threw his wife a sheepish look. "Just for a little while. Had to go greet the men of the house, hadn't I?" he asked and turned to Logan. "And that leaves only you now, Logan. How are you, son?" he asked, giving Logan a firm hand shake.

Logan nodded. "Great, Richard. How's the insurance world treating you?" he answered with a smile.

Richard shrugged. "It's keeping me busy. How's Yale going?"

"Fine, Sir," Logan answered, nodding. It wasn't a secret that Richard's alma mater was Yale. Besides, he was also a member of the LDB, well, of the 'retired' part of the Brigade.

"Good, good, good… I'm glad you're having a good time there. My years at Yale were certainly some of the best in my entire life," Richard said, getting that longing expression old people get sometimes.

"I'm sure Sir," Logan nodded sympathetically. Once he reached Richard's age he probably would sport the same expression. He knew already that his college years would be some of the best in his life. The first two years sure had been and he was pretty sure that not even his father honing in on him for the next two years could stop those two years from becoming great as well. They were the last years of freedom he had after all and he was determined to live the remaining two to the fullest. That was the plan and he and Finn and Colin would make sure that this plan was fulfilled at the end of those two years. It was simple enough: as much girls, booze and fun as they could pack in those years.

"Richard, where is that granddaughter of yours you constantly brag about? Emily said she would be with you," his mother interrupted them.

Surprised, Richard looked at Emily. "Well, I thought she's with you Emily. Isn't she with you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Rolling her eyes in turn, Emily shook her head. "No, she isn't. Or do you see her around here?" she asked exasperated.

Richard actually looked around for a moment, causing Logan to smile.

"Oh well, she's so quiet that you would overlook her so easily," Richard remarked and shrugged.

"I wonder where that girl vanished to. The last time I saw her she was trailing after you and Elias," Emily said, frowning slightly.

"We lost her somewhere along the way," Richard told her. "She probably met some friends from school and is hanging around with them now. There are quite some young Elis around."

At those words, Logan almost frowned with more and more alarm bells starting to ring in his head. Elis? Yale? Not only did Richard and Emily suddenly have a granddaughter out of the blue, but now she was going to Yale as well? How come he hadn't known about this till now?

"Probably," Emily nodded. "Such parties aren't much for the young people nowadays anymore, are they, Logan? I bet you can't wait to get back to your friends as well, right?"

Tricky question. Logan glanced at his mother then looked back at the Gilmores and nodded, smiling in a similar sheepish way like Richard before. "Busted," he admitted.

Emily and Richard laughed, forcing Logan's mother to laugh along with them.

"A man not afraid to speak the truth. I like that," Richard nodded. "Well, I'm sure you have yet some people to greet as we have."

"True, true," Logan's mother nodded with a rueful smile. "Too bad I've missed your little girl. I'm so dying to meet her. Have you met her already, Logan?" she asked, glancing at him.

Logan groaned inside and shook his head. "No, I fear I haven't had the pleasure yet."

"Oh, if not tonight then I'm sure you'll meet her soon," Richard said, smiling at him. "You're both writing for the paper after all, so I think it's bound to happen sooner or later, isn't it?"

"At the YDN?" Logan asked surprised. This got better and better. First that mysterious girl was attending Yale as well and now she was even also at the YDN? Great. Fucking great. No wonder his mother was so keen on him meeting that girl. Even if he didn't betroth her within a year, he sure would be expected to at least socialize a little with her. Ugh, how he hated such forced 'friendships'.

Richard nodded. "Best reporter they have there, so you better watch out for her, son. I'm telling you, your father will be a fool if he doesn't snatch her up right after graduation. He for sure will regret it when the best overseas correspondent is working for the competition."

"Overseas correspondent?" Logan asked, frowning, and glanced at his mother. Hmm… perhaps his mother wasn't so keen on him courting the Gilmore granddaughter then. In his mother's eyes, a working woman among the Huntzbergers was an unthinkable affront. Especially for the wife of the heir and future head of the family and Company. So perhaps all this talk about that granddaughter wasn't because they wanted them to hitch it up, but because the Gilmores wanted to start weaving the web for her future career as a reporter.

"Yeah. That girl wants nothing else than that since she was four years old," Richard said proudly.

"How lovely," Logan's mother smiled. "Well, perhaps I'll see her yet, tonight. Richard, Emily, I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the evening."

"I have no doubts about that," Emily nodded. "Logan, don't let your mother keep you away from your friends for too long."

Logan nodded with a smile and not shortly afterwards, he and his mother were moving away from the Gilmores.

"Well, you heard Emily, Mom. I think I should go find my friends now," Logan said, as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Don't be ridiculous, Logan. There are still quite a few people I want you to greet," his mother hissed and shook her head. "Really Logan, when will you finally understand that socializing with the folks is a very important part of your position, especially once you take over the Company. The contacts you make on these parties…"

"Will be of essential meaning for my entire life, I know, Mom," Logan finished with a sigh. He had no idea how many times he had heard that now. Only a few thousand times probably.

"Then remember that finally," his mother snapped with a glare at him, before she plastered on her fake smile again. "Lena! You look lovely!"

Growling deeply inside, a resigned Logan turned to yet another round of making contacts.

Another half an hour later he was ready to go up the walls. He was long beyond having enough now. He was downright sick of shaking hands, smiling pleasantly and exchanging meaningless words. Shortly, he would do one more person, couple, family, whatever, and then he was out of here, no matter what his mother said or threatened him with. He'd find Finn and Colin and some scotch or whiskey and enjoy the sub-party that without doubt was already in place somewhere.

His mother dragged him towards an older couple and Logan sighed with relief. At least there wouldn't be a prospective wife to meet and chat with this time, though that was what he had thought already with the Gilmores and how wrong he had been there. He still had trouble believing that there was a Gilmore at Yale… even worse, at the paper as well. Only one reason more to avoid that place. Which could prove problematic seeing as he had just more or less promised his father he'd see to it that he'd participate a bit more in the YDN than so far.

"Francine!" his mother exclaimed and hurried forward to kiss the older woman's cheeks. "It's wonderful that you made it after all!" She turned to the old man to shake his hand, smiling. "And you Straub. I'm honored you put work aside for a moment to come attend this little party of ours."

"Don't be ridiculous Shira, we would not have stayed away," Straub said gruffly and his eyes turned to look at Logan. "And what are you waiting for, boy? Looks like Mitchum and Elias haven't been able to teach you some manners yet."

Grinding his teeth, Logan stepped forward to give the man a firm handshake, smiling very falsely. He had been so relieved that there would be not another prospective bride to view that he had temporarily forgotten just how much he despised Straub and Francine Hayden. Straub was one of his grandfather's best friends and Francine and his mother were one heart and one soul. There was nothing that needed to be said more about those two than that.

"Sir," he nodded and looked over to Straub's wife. "Francine."

"Spare yourself your false pleasantry, boy," Straub said with a frown and looked at Shira. "You better find a way to control that boy of yours finally. He shows the same weaknesses as Christopher when he had been at his age. We were too lazy with him then and you know how that turned out."

"Straub…" Francine sighed.

"It's true Francine," Straub protested and gave Logan a glare. "I believe in talking my mind. If I warn them now about that boy, they perhaps will find a way to handle him before it's too late."

"Don't worry Straub, Mitchum has got it handled, hasn't he, Logan?" his mother hurried to say and patted the agitated old man on his arm.

"Sure Mom," Logan acknowledged. So far, Straub Hayden had never had a good word to say about him, not that Logan cared much about that. Since he could remember the old judge had warned his parents to keep a close eye on him or he'd turn out to be the same disappointment as his son Christopher had been. Logan had never met this ominous Christopher as he more or less had vanished out of society some twenty years ago. There was a pretty tight lid to the reason why the Hayden heir had walked away from his destiny. Logan had always wondered, though, knowing the Haydens, he pretty much figured that it simply had gotten unbearable for their son to live with his parents any longer.

"That's what we thought as well," Straub muttered darkly.

"Straub please… I feel my headache coming back," Francine sighed, massaging her temples.

Nothing new there, Logan thought. Francine Hayden always had a headache. And if it wasn't a headache it was a stomach ache or something else.

"Yes Francine, why don't you tell me a little about your granddaughter?" Shira asked. "Didn't you say that she stayed over the weekend recently?"

Granddaughter? Another granddaughter? Logan frowned. Damn it, what was it with all these unknown granddaughters lately?

Francine sighed. "She's been loud. But I guess that's normal for an almost two years old."

Oh. A toddler. Good. He doubted even his mother would want him to marry a baby. Thank God. Chances would have been high that if that granddaughter had been in his age they would have wanted them to marry – no matter what he or the girl wanted.

"It's a shame she's only a baby. Wouldn't it have been lovely for our families to become one big family?" his mother sighed.

Francine smiled tiredly. "That would have been indeed nice. But as it is it seems highly unlikely to ever happen."

Straub, his face dark, mumbled something and shook his head. "I'll go see if I can find Elias and Mitchum in this crowd," he huffed and walked away.

"Did I say something?" Logan's mother asked, frowning at the abrupt leave of Straub.

Francine shook her head. "No, no, darling… you know Straub. He's not a big fan of these parties."

Logan looked after Straub. No, that he wasn't, that wasn't a big secret. But Logan thought too that Straub's mood had been extremely bad today. And that leave just now was really very abrupt. He just was about to turn back to his mother and Francine when his eyes caught a flash of dark green velvet and absolutely blue eyes.

The girl from before. So she had found her way back to the party then, not that he had had any doubts about that. He frowned. And from what little he had seen before the girl had quickly turned away and vanished into the parlor she didn't seem to have a particularly good time. Her face had been pale, devoid of the cute blush she had sported almost the entire time they had talked to each other and he could swear that he had seen hurt in her eyes. He bit his lips. He should be indifferent to the feelings of that girl… but truth was that he didn't like the thought of her hurt in any way. Those blue eyes weren't supposed to be sad and hurt. They were supposed to be happy. Or to be sparkling with anger, provoked by him.

At that thought he frowned and shook his head. Ridiculous. Yet, his eyes wandered towards the parlor again before he finally turned back to his mother and Francine.

"Francine, nice to have seen you again. But I fear I'll have to leave you two now. I've seen some other guests that need my attention now," he said and quickly turned to head away from his mother and her friend.

"Logan!" he heard his mother hiss after him but he pretended to not having heard it and simply continued to walk away, glad to have finally escaped his mother's clutches.

A few more steps and he had reached the parlor. He stopped and scanned the place for the little spitfire, without luck though. Apparently, the girl had already moved on to another room. Logan looked around, trying to decide which way she could have gone when a hand slapped him on the back.

"Logan! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Even risked to go back into the lion's den and being spotted by the parental units along with their friends."

Logan turned. "Colin. Sub-party already started?"

"Sure. Almost an hour ago. All that's missing now is the guest of honor, meaning you," Colin answered. "What took you so damn long?"

"Mom was very adamant on me meeting every single guest, especially the ones with daughters my age," Logan told him with a sigh.

Colin made a face. "Now if that doesn't suck," he commented sympathetically. "But fear not, I'm sure the sub-party will make you forget the horrendous experience in no time. Finn's already pretty much at full speed."

Logan grinned. "He's not already reenacting anything, is he?"

Colin shook his head. "Not yet, no. He's singing though. You finished now? Or do you have to continue to play the eligible bachelor?"

Logan glanced around a last time. Still no sign of the girl. Not that he was really considering putting off the sub party to go find that girl.

Right.

He turned to Colin and smiled brightly. "Nope. Done my duty for tonight."

"Then what are you waiting for? Come on already. The longer we're here the greater the risk we'll get spotted and have to greet more people and make boring conversation with them," Colin told him impatiently and turned to head across the parlor.

"Good point," Logan murmured and hurried after his best friend.

"How angry was Mitchum?" Colin wanted to know.

Logan made a face. "I'm cut off for a month, well, at least half my accounts, but you know what that means. He'll know which ones to close off. Further, I'm expected to go to my classes, write an article and go to meetings with him on a regular basis."

Colin stopped to look at him surprised. "Ouch. Why so harsh? It was just a little race."

"It was probably just the perfect excuse to drop all that on me," Logan answered darkly. "You know he was trying to get me to 'clean up my act' for a while now."

"True, true… what are you going to do?" Colin asked, starting to walk again.

Logan fell into step beside him. "Play along for a while until he cools down. Then I'll see. But I think he won't forget his conditions anytime soon," he said with a sigh.

For a moment, the two friends were silent as they went down the stairs that led to the lower grounds of the mansion.

"So… already made your choice on the future Mrs. Logan Huntzberger?" Colin asked slyly, glancing mockingly at him.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Logan answered dryly.

"What? You want to tell me that with all these lovely ladies here tonight making gooey eyes, you didn't find the one and only for you?" Colin gasped.

"Well, now that you mention it… there was one girl," Logan answered, rolling his eyes. "Perfect copy of my mother. I think I fell in love," he said dramatically, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Colin chuckled. "Ah, I see… were they hot at least?"

Logan shrugged. Sure, they had been all good looking. Nothing special though. Nothing out of the ordinary. Definitely nothing that had perked his interest. Rather the contrary.

"Such a shame," Colin sighed with sympathy.

"Hey… did you know that there's a Gilmore at Yale currently?" Logan asked, changing the topic.

Frowning, Colin looked at him. "A Gilmore? At Yale? Seriously? I didn't even know that there's a young Gilmore around."

"Neither did I. But it turns out that Richard and Emily have a granddaughter. Who goes to Yale," Logan told him.

"A granddaughter? Do I hear wedding bells?" Colin asked, raising his eyebrows.

Logan sent him a glare and shook his head. "And who's also working at the YDN because she wants to work later as an overseas correspondent."

"Ah… so no wedding bells after all," Colin knowingly commented.

"Nope. But it got pretty clear that I'm expected to at least meet her," Logan sighed.

"Why not? We'll have to check her out for the LDB anyway," Colin said with a shrug. "As Richard's granddaughter she'll definitely be on the list of possible new members."

"Yeah, you're right," Logan agreed.

It was the least that Richard would expect. And with the amount of money the alumnus donated to the Brigade every year they'd do their best to fulfill his expectations. With Logan and the young Gilmore both working at the YDN, it was only logical that he'd to make contact with her to check out her eligibility with the Brigade. Having the name Gilmore only guaranteed that she would be looked at, not that she'd get an invitation to join the LDB. He was just about to ask Colin to take care of the background check when his eyes fell on the silhouette of a slim girl, standing at the far side of the terrace they were on, leaning on the parapet. Frowning, he narrowed his eyes to get a better look of the person, and a huge grin spread out over his face.

There she was.

"Be right back," he told Colin absentmindedly and quickly walked over to the girl.

"Checking out the grounds for the security system, Maxie?" he asked.

With a start, the brown-haired girl who had more or less saved him from hearing yet another tirade of his father against Logan's friends swiveled around to face him. At seeing him, her eyes narrowed and he contentedly observed how an angry pink immediately started to color her pale cheeks again.

"You," she said, well, more spat. "Don't you have anything better to do than follow me around?"

"As it is, no, I haven't," Logan told her with a smile. "And even if I had, how could I ever take the risk to let you wander around all by yourself? It's my duty to keep a close eye on you so once the police knocks on my door to question me if I have any idea who's behind that terrible robbery of this museum, I can give them a detailed description of your actions tonight and of course a good description of you."

She shook her head, her eyes further narrowing. "Either you have a severe mental disability or you're a seriously stupid, annoying smart aleck."

"Careful Maxie, I think you're mistaking me for someone else. I'm Logan, not Alec," Logan corrected her, amused.

Raising her eyebrow, she looked him up and down and snorted. "True. You're blond, rich and from what I gathered from your 'talk' with your father your name is even Logan as well… But no way are you Logan. You see, Logan was nice. Serious. Very responsible. The white knight in shining armor." She gave him another once over and sighed. "Whereas you…" she said sadly, waving her hand at him.

Grinning, Logan stepped closer to her and gazed down into the two blue pools of the girl. "So you admit that I'm sexy. Finally, Maxie. I thought you'd never see the light, baby," he said, his voice having gone a bit quieter, deeper.

Her cheeks turned into a deep red, but her eyes sparkled. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the man has gone completely mad and delusional now," she announced with an eye roll, but she didn't back away. Not that there was much place for her to back away with her stuck between him and the parapet.

Logan's grin deepened. "If I'm not Logan then I'm Alec. Young, sexy, mischievous. And we all know that ultimately, Max would have ended up with him. At the latest once she was in heat again." He leaned closer into her and took a deep breath, taking in her scent. Fresh. Wood. Something old. Sweet. And the faint linger of a perfume. The girl definitely smelled good. "What about you Maxie? You already in heat?" he asked quietly, gazing down into her eyes and realized that he was only halfway joking.

He wouldn't mind to have a round of wild sex with this girl. It sure promised to be damn good.

She smiled, but the way her eyes closed to slits told Logan to be careful and on guard.

Smart decision. It was only his guard that made him jump back from her in time to prevent him having his foot pierced by one of her heels.

"Hey!" he exclaimed mildly. He wasn't angry or even disappointed. Strangely, he felt quite the opposite.

The girl inclined her head and smiled sweetly at him. "Next time it will be my knee and your balls. And I won't miss," she promised, her voice velvet.

Shaking his head, Logan laughed. Loudly, deeply, belly-rippling. The girl looked puzzled at him. And she was not the only one. Colin, who had come closer, looked amused at him. Contrary to the girl, Colin knew though just how rare it was for Logan to really laugh freely and joyfully. And never in front of strangers.

The girl watched him for a moment longer, before she shook her head once. "Crazy," she mumbled and her nose wrinkled.

"Most people take a lot longer to come to that conclusion," Colin chirped in and stepped towards them. "But I can only agree."

The girl's head whipped around to look at Colin. She frowned. "Let me guess… you're one of his friends. Colin?"

Surprised, Colin raised an eyebrow. "I don't think we've met before."

"We haven't," the girl confirmed with a nod and her tone suggested that this fact didn't exactly bother her much. Rather the contrary actually.

Colin's other eyebrow rose. "Then how do you know who I am?"

She shrugged. "You just looked like a Colin."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Colin asked, growing defensive.

Taking a deep breath to calm down a bit, Logan chuckled. "Just that you look as boring as your name, mate," he suggested.

Colin glared at him.

"I was rather going for uptight," the girl disagreed.

Colin's glare turned to her. "I'm not uptight!" he protested.

Logan snorted. He loved Colin like a brother but Colin was definitely uptight. And it was only one of his many faults. Yet, a guy couldn't have a better or more loyal best friend than him.

"You look uptight though," the girl pointed out. "Your shirt is buttoned up all the way, for example. That tie doesn't look very comfortable either. Your hair is parted in a clean, straight line with not one hair out of place." Her eyes dropped to his feet. "And your shoes are polished," she concluded, as if that said everything.

Colin stared at her, obviously rendered speechless. Not something that happened often. Logan laughed again and nudged the girl on her side, but being careful not to come too close to her though. She was definitely a cute little kitten but it was also very clear that she had the claws that belonged to any feline.

"Hey, we're heading to the real party. Why don't you join us?" he suggested, hoping she would say yes even though his gut told him otherwise.

And sure enough, she turned her scornful eyes on him. "Excuse me, but what on earth makes you think that I want to spend even more time with you? In case you haven't noticed… I don't like you," she told him straight out.

Logan smiled. "Oh, I noticed that you can believe that. But really Maxie, you should stop lying to yourself. It's obvious that you want me."

Exasperated, she threw her arms up in the air and turned to Colin. "You better see to it that the nice men in white come soon. This friend of yours definitely needs to be committed."

Colin looked frowning from her to Logan and then back, a grin starting to spread out. "Already tried that. They won't take him."

"Yeah, you've heard him," Logan pointed out and gave her another nudge. "But I'm only a harmless case. If you want to see real crazy you should come with us. No one's as crazy as Finn. But he sure is a guarantee for a fun party," he tried again to get her to come with them.

Unfortunately, the girl shook her head. "First of all… no thanks, I don't need even more crazies in my life, there's plentiful of them as it is. Second, though I have no idea who this Finn is, there's no way he's as crazy as Kirk. If you look up crazy in the Webster's Dictionary then you'll find Kirk there as an explanation. And third, in case you haven't noticed it, we are already on a party and I have no intentions whatsoever to move on to yet another party, especially not with you two stooges."

"Correction Maxie, there doesn't stand Kirk but Finn in the dictionary," Logan fired back on the spot. "And second, the real party of every party is the sub-party. It's where all the fun is."

"Sub-party?" the girl asked frowning.

"Only way to survive these boring social gatherings," Logan lectured her.

"Ah… and let me guess… girls and booze are a must on these parties," the girl said knowingly.

"My God she got it!" Logan and Colin exclaimed at the same time.

Her eyes narrowed. "You better not start singing about the rain in Spain now."

"Why Maxie, what happens then? You afraid you'll finally fall for my irresistible charm then?" Logan teased.

"Rather that I'll throw up on this fine terrace and I doubt the hosts would like that very much," she said dryly, her eyes still narrowed. "Which in turn would seriously displease my folks? Meaning that in the following days, my life would take a serious spiral downwards."

"Aww Maxie, now we…" Logan started to say, but got interrupted.

"And would you stop calling me Maxie all the time! My name is not Maxie!" the girl demanded vehemently.

Logan grinned. "Well _Maxie_, as you have yet to tell me your name I can not call you by any other name than the one that seems to fit you so perfectly."

"After all, it's hardly fair that you know our names while we have not the faintest idea who you are," Colin chirped in.

"Why bother? It's highly unlikely we'll see us ever again after tonight," the girl said, smiling sweetly. "Not if I can help it."

"I'm crushed Maxie," Logan said, his voice sounding sad and miserable. "And here I thought we'd have such a wonderful future together."

A snort was the only answer he got.

Before he could say anything more, a voice sounded from the house.

"Rory!"

The girl turned her head slightly towards the house and turned back to the boys. "Well boys, it was fun," she said sarcastically and turned away from them.

"Sure it was, Maxie," Logan called after her. "Oh and Maxie?"

She stopped to glare back at him.

"Now that I have your name I'm sure we'll see each other again," Logan promised. "_Rory_," he added, dragging her name out.

He had expected her to send a few more laser glares his way, but instead, her blue eyes took on a wicked gleam.

"Tough luck there, smart aleck," she answered. "I sure wouldn't count on it." Thus said, she turned away from them again and quickly headed back towards the house.

Intrigued by her last words, Logan, with a smile, watched her vanish in the house. That had sounded awfully like a challenge. And he loved challenges. Especially when the price was so enticing as to get to see this girl again.

"Care to enlighten me on the whole Maxie thing?" Colin asked, looking at him.

Logan's smile intensified. "Just a little Dark Angel theme we have going on."

"Ah…" Colin said, obviously not quite getting the clue. But then, Colin had never been much interested in science fiction shows. He was quiet for a moment, watching Logan. Then he looked over to the house, then back to his best friend and he started to smile knowingly. "So… who is she?" he asked casually.

Logan shook his head. "I have no idea," he answered, his eyes lingering on the house for a moment longer before he finally turned away. "But I intend to find out."

It couldn't be that hard after all. A quick glance at the invitation list should be enough. Rory wasn't such a common name after all. Not at all common actually. Then he'd have her full name. And once he had that it was a piece of cake to find out where she lived and to which family she belonged… and arrange another meeting.

Because if he knew one thing for sure it was that he wanted to see this girl again.

* * *

TBC!

(Author's Note: So much to their first meeting. Hope you enjoyed it again. I was blown away by the many wonderful comments I received for the first chapter. Thank you all so much! I sure have fun writing in this universe, thinking up a new story for Rory and Logan and you all encouraged me to go on with that. The next chapter will come soon, hopefully, but first I think it's high time for another chapter for Different. Besides, I need to figure out if I want to keep this story solely in Logan's POV or if I want to switch to Rory as well. I probably should… she's just so much harder to write… sigh We'll see.)


	3. The Mystery Of Maxie

**Chapter 3: The Mystery of Maxie**

It had seemed so easy. A quick look at the invitation list of his mother and he'd have a name and soon an address to go with the name as well. Yeah, it should have been so easy. It turned out though that Maxie's gleeful doubts of his abilities to find her were justified. A week had gone by and Logan still hadn't found out who the mysterious Maxie/Rory was.

There was not one name on the invitation list that got even close to Rory. Upon casually asking his mother about a brown-haired girl named Rory all he had gotten was a confused frown and his mother's insistence that she didn't know anyone with such a strange name. And that was pretty much the same reaction he got from everyone else he asked about the girl.

Slowly, he was starting to think that his joking that Maxie had sneaked into the party to check out the house wasn't in fact that farfetched as he had thought. Though, there hadn't been a burglary at the Huntzberger mansion – yet. Part of him was even ready to believe that his encounter with the little spitfire had just been a pretty wild imagination, if it wasn't for Colin constantly teasing him with that girl.

Logan wasn't sure why he couldn't simply forget anything about that girl and let his mind focus on something else, another girl, the next LDB event, anything. But no. Somehow, the brown-haired spitfire with her big, sparkling blue eyes, sharp tongue and witty comebacks had thrilled his interest like no girl had before and now the memory haunted him.

Her challenge haunted him.

That was it probably. She had challenged him to find her and Logan, never having been able to resist a challenge, especially as a charming as this one, just couldn't let it rest until he found her now.

The only problem that remained was just how was he going to do that? Hope to run into her at some other social gathering? God no. His goal in life was to avoid them, not search for them! Hunt down the photographer and see if he had managed to get a good shot of Maxie and then go through the invitation list, asking them if they perhaps knew the girl? While that seemed logical, it also looked a bit like desperation on his part, not to mention humiliating and way too dangerous for Logan. He didn't need anyone learning just how obsessed he was with finding that girl. But what options were left then? Hire a PI to find the girl and give him a name to the face that haunted him for this past week? No, that was ridiculous. It was just a random girl – highly interesting, yeah, and boy, sexy as hell, but it wasn't as if Logan was that desperate. So no, he wouldn't go out and hire a PI.

At least not yet.

At that little afterthought, Logan frowned, but before he could dwell more on it, his cell chirped with the tunes of 'Shark'. Groaning, Logan pulled it out of his pocket, staring at it in disgust for a few seconds, before he grudgingly raised it to his ear, pressing the green button.

"Dad," he greeted with a sigh.

"I thought I made myself clear, Logan. No more fooling around. I want to see good grades, regular articles and your actual presence in classes," his father's voice came through the line, tinted with anger.

"Yeah, I remember," Logan said coldly, frowning.

As if he could forget his last charming chat with Daddy dearest.

"Yet I have to hear that you once again failed to attend some of your classes. And the editor at the YDN has yet to see you this year. Say Logan, how are you supposed to write articles when you're never around at the meeting when the assignments are handed out?" Mitchum asked sarcastically and in not a very friendly tone.

His free hand balling to a fist, Logan told himself to stay calm. It wouldn't be of any use to lose control now. "Gee, Dad, guess what, but there are a few other things I still need to do and that can't always be done outside school hours. And as for Doyle, relax. He always has a few things on the side for those who missed the staff meeting."

"Not anymore. I made it clear to him that he isn't to hand you any assignment, unless you show up at the meetings. You miss them again, you can't have an article. Without an article, you won't be able to have the money you need to sustain the lifestyle you're used to and love so much," his father told him in a voice that sounded very smug. "Next meeting is today in thirty minutes. I advise you to show up in time."

Gritting his teeth, Logan started to pace. "Last time I checked the YDN wasn't part of the Huntzberger Media family," he growled.

"No, but contrary to you, the editor there knows what's good for his future," his father said shortly and the line went dead, leaving Logan no chance to say anything more.

Trembling with rage, Logan snapped his cell close, resisting the urge to hurl it against the nearest wall. What the hell was his father's problem? Why couldn't he lay back just for a second? And why had it always to be blackmail? Logan do that or you're going to be cut off. Logan, do this, or next time I'll actually let you spend the night in jail. Logan, be a good little heir or lose everything.

He hated it. He hated not having a free choice… he hated it that he couldn't just turn his back on all the pressure and demands and expectations and just say 'fuck you' to his father's face and then turn around and leave it all behind.

Yet, he always swallowed the words, gulped down the anger and buckled. He went out to go get drunk or fucked his brain out or did something stupid that he knew would make his father furious and that was just fine with Logan.

But no, in the end his father always won, forcing Logan to do whatever Mitchum Huntzberger wanted.

Logan may be reckless and loved to take risks and lived on the edge, desperate to get out of life what he could get… but he simply didn't have the balls to turn his back away from the life he knew, was accustomed to, and yeah, partly also loved. Truth was… Logan loved to be rich and knowing that there were seldom repercussions for him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to live without money and his safety net. But most of all, the reason he always gave in, was that he was afraid. Afraid to turn his back on the only thing he knew how to do, hell, the only thing he'd love to do, even if it's the damn family's legacy.

He loved to write and work for the news business. He just hated that he was forced into it.

Seething, he snatched up his map from his desk and left his room. There was nothing more that he wanted to do right now but to ignore his father's warning and stay the hell away from this stupid staff meeting. Funny thing was that before the call, Logan had had every intention of going, knowing that he should soon show up in the newsroom to satisfy his father. Now though… now, thanks to Daddy dearest, even that wasn't his choice anymore. No, now he showed up at the staff meeting because Daddy ordered it and at least Doyle would know that. And Logan knew that it was wiser to follow the orders this time. It was obvious that his father was more insistent on cleaning up his son's act and Logan knew his father well enough to know that, should he not do what his father had said, he'd have hell to pay for and that was something he rather didn't want to risk. Thanks to the new rules he had little free time as it was, he couldn't cut time off from his friends and the things he loved to do even more than he already was.

Sometimes, he really hated his life.

* * *

Ten minutes later, his bad mood intensified with every step towards the newsroom he had taken, Logan entered the Yale Daily News offices. From the looks of it, most of the staff was already gathered around for the meeting which was to begin in five minutes. Some people he recognized from two years ago, though it weren't many. Most of the staff was new and threw him a slightly puzzled look, probably wondering who he was and what he was doing here. Logan ignored them and moved toward what had been his desk once. Judging from the personal items now placed on it, he doubted that that was still the case. Oh well. It would still do for the time being.

Doyle caught sight of him, sputtered, and quickly turned away, causing Logan to snicker. Looked like Doyle hadn't changed one bit in the year he had gone sailing. Still quivering in his shoes at the mere sight of one of the members of the Huntzbergers, a mighty newspaper family, even if it was only the prodigal son. Though, after Doyle's chat with his father the poor guy was probably allowed to shake in his boots. Mitchum Huntzberger had that effect on people, sadly. It was disgusting to watch. Only once Logan wished he could meet someone who stood up to his father, maybe even got into his face, instead of shiver in fear and respect.

Like Maxie had. Well, she hadn't gotten right into his face… but she sure hadn't withered at the mere sight of him.

The hand on the clock ticked on the full hour and Doyle moved to stand in the middle of the room while the other people on the YDN staff gathered around him.

Already after Doyle's first sentence, Logan was bored. Okay, Doyle was talking about the last edition, but still, couldn't he make that a little more interesting? Like not talking in this dull voice? Like not simply looking ridiculous while trying to sound stern as he chided the writer who had reported false facts? This was one of the reasons why Logan preferred to stay away from these meetings and instead rather show up afterwards to go get himself an assignment – well, if he felt like writing an article – or was pressured to it by Daddy dearest. Because these meetings were so unbelievably _boring_.

Perhaps ten minutes into the meeting – ten very long minutes, the door suddenly flew open and a girl barreled through in a hurry. "Sorry I'm late, Doyle, got caught up with Professor Bell," she apologized breathlessly.

Doyle frowned. "Just don't let it get become a habit," he grumbled.

She flashed him a big smile. "Never would dream of it, Boss," she assured him, irony swinging in her voice though.

Flabbergasted, Logan stared at the girl.

It couldn't be… No way…

But there was no doubt.

It was Maxie.

None other than the witty, sexy, elusive girl Logan was looking for for a week now.

Of all the places to meet her again…

Doyle continued with his speech but Logan heard not a single word. He was way too busy watching Maxie as she leaned against the wall to listen to Doyle. She even took down notes. Today she wore a pair of jeans and a sweater, but she still looked beautiful with her brown hair softly curling around her face and those unbelievingly blue eyes shining on her delicate face with a mixture of eagerness, attention and interest.

He was transfixed.

"…Logan…"

Somewhere his name registered and startled, he looked back to Doyle, questioning. He hoped he hadn't just missed his assignment. He'd really hate to have to go to Doyle afterwards and ask him.

"The Department of Physics awaits the visit of Doctor Lars Weitzman, who won the Nobel a few years ago. He's going to give a few lectures next week. I want an article, including an interview, within two weeks," Doyle said, trying to sound bossy and almost managing.

"But with the outmost delight," answered Logan with light mockery and made a bow.

And he actually did look forward to it, despite the whole daddy-dearest-who-forced-this-upon-him situation. He had wanted to attend some of those lectures anyway, having read a few of Weiszman's books. And an interview with the great astrophysics professor promised to be interesting. He was a little surprised to get such a good assignment right away for starters. He had halfway expected Doyle to give him fluke assignments like the drama of the cafeteria changing the brand of cocoa pops. And yeah, he did wonder if his father was behind this as well.

But then, that was his life, wasn't it? Never sure if he got something because of his efforts, his talents or because the great Mitchum Huntzberger had let his many, many contacts come into favor for his son and heir, Logan thought bitterly.

Suddenly, he grew aware of eyes resting on him and he looked up to search for the source. When his eyes met sparkling blue ones, he smirked, giving her a two-finger salute. Maxie's eyes narrowed, so he wriggled his eyebrows at her. With a huff, she turned her eyes away – but Logan noticed the way her cheeks flushed, which he took as a good sign, even if they had probably flushed in anger rather than joy of seeing him again.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

* * *

'Thank God!' thought Logan as Doyle finally finished his speech and let them get to work. He wanted to go talk to Maxie and quickly, he turned to head over to her.

He was mighty surprised to see her heading towards him. And pleased – but only until he noticed that she wasn't heading towards him, but to the desk he was leaning on. Well, all the better.

"So we see each other again," he greeted her with a grin.

"What are the odds," she murmured and sat down, but otherwise pretty much ignored him.

Logan didn't like to be ignored. He raised an eyebrow and turned so that he was facing her on her desk. "Adding stalking to the long list of your rap sheet now, huh Maxie?" he smirked.

A death glare hit him, but she said nothing.

"You're really starting to worry me, you know. Stalking out the mansion, stalking me, stealing… Maxie, Maxie, Maxie, did your mother never tell you not to steal?" he asked, sounding sad.

Her head snapped up. "I never stole anything from you!"

"But of course you have. See, this fine desk here… is mine." he said and knocked on the surface.

"Those hallucinations of yours must have gotten worse," she said, shaking her head. "In case you haven't noticed, my stuff is on this desk. Like it has been since school had begun. Like it had been all last year. Desk," she pointed at the desk, "stuff," she pointed at a fluffy something, "my desk," she finished, pointing at herself.

"Aww, you're cute, do you know that?" Logan grinned and earned himself an indignantly glare. "But nonetheless… your stuff is on _my_ desk."

Angrily, she shot up from her chair and leaned over the desk in question, getting into his face. "This. Is. My. Desk," she hissed, pronouncing every word.

Logan's eyes dropped to her lips, which looked shiny, beckoning at him to capture them with his own. And he almost leaned in for the kiss. But his head was still working enough to send him a vision of her hand landing with a smack on his face. An experience he didn't really need. So he didn't kiss her… what a shame, he thought with a sigh. "No. It. Isn't," he replied as slowly and clearly as she had. "You see, this had been my desk since my first year here at Yale."

"I've never seen you here before," she pointed out.

Logan smiled indulgently. "And what a shame that is," he nodded seriously. "But you see, I've taken a year off last year. That doesn't mean though that I gave up my desk here. My desk and I have a history, you know."

She matched his indulgent smile with one of her own. "Oh, how touching…" Her eyes chilled. "Get yourself a new desk."

"I don't think so. I rather suggest that you take Fluffy here and get yourself another desk," Logan countered, giving the fluffy thing on the desk a light finger flick.

Maxie snatched the thing up. "Leave Henry alone!"

For a moment, Logan was confused. Then he broke out into a big grin. "You named that thing?" he asked unbelievingly.

"Why don't you go annoy someone else? I've got work to do. You know, some of the people here are actually here to work, not to be a pest just for the fun of it," she snapped.

"Their loss," said Logan sympathetically.

Rolling her eyes, Maxie sat down again. "Boy, and here I thought your ego is just a summer flirt."

"Quoting Twister won't let you off the hook, Maxie," Logan told her softly.

"Why am I not surprised?" she murmured, probably more to herself than to Logan.

Not that that stopped him from answering. "That I recognized the quote or that I won't let you off the hook?" he asked.

She gave him a look. "Why won't you just get lost?"

Logan knocked on the desk again. "What have we talked about again? Oh right… _My_ desk."

"Yeah, but that conversation is over. It's mine now. End of story," Maxie retorted.

"You don't really think that I'll let you have the best desk just like that, do you, Maxie?" Logan asked smirking.

Her eyes met him. "You don't think _I'll_ let _you_ have the best desk, just like that, do you, _Alec_?" she mockingly mimicked him.

Logan laughed. God, that girl was amusing. "It seems like we are in a bit of a stand-off, doesn't it? Now, what to do to find a solution for that?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Easy. You. Get yourself another desk. Me. Staying right where I am."

"Maxie…" Logan sighed.

"And for the last time, my name's not Maxie!" she exclaimed, exasperated.

"Well, you've yet to tell me your full name… Rory," Logan replied with a smile.

For a moment, her eyes narrowed, but then they cleared and smiling, she sat back down and leaned back in her chair. "Oh right… how well did your search for me go? Any luck finding me, like you promised, so heartfelt?"

"I'm here, am I not?" he asked, evading giving a direct answer.

"And it's pure coincidence, isn't it?" she said knowingly. "Or what is my last name?"

"Memory loss, Maxie? I'd be careful with that," Logan replied.

She grinned.

Shit. She was clearly winning this part. Needless to say that Logan didn't like to lose. "Well… I'll tell you what. I may let myself be convinced to let you have this fine desk… for the right prize."

Both her eyebrows rose. "Why on earth should I pay for something that's already mine? Besides, I may not know your financial situation in detail, but it sure looked to me as if you're hardly in need of any more money."

True. Logan smiled. "Never said anything about money, did I?"

Her eyebrows arched higher. "And what exactly did you have in mind?" she wanted to know.

His smile taking on a suggestive tone, he leaned forward lazily, his eyes staring into hers. "Hmm… I think a couple of dates and a back massage might perhaps do the deed."

Her eyes widened in surprise. Then she laughed. A clear, true, singing laugh. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Logan said, but smiled.

"What on earth makes you think that I would go out with you? Over a desk on top of that?" she asked, still chuckling.

"My good looks? My unbeatable charm? My witty remarks?" Logan pointed out.

"You do have a high opinion of yourself, huh? Sorry buddy," she said, shaking her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "One of my dearest rules… I don't go out with guys who insist on calling me by a nickname… like Maxie for example… other than my true nickname." She gave him a pointed glare.

"If that's all… Just tell me your name and nickname and problem's solved," Logan answered, unfazed.

"Now, where would be the fun in that? Don't you have any pride? The urge to finish your quest? Then, you're seriously at the wrong place here," Maxie told him. "Besides, there's another rule… I don't waste my time with rich, spoiled and cocky guys."

Before Logan could reply, he heard someone calling his name. Irritably, he looked towards the door to see Colin waving at him, signaling him to come out, pointing at his watch. Quickly, Logan checked his own watch. Right. Their trip to New York. They had tickets for the Stones. He had almost forgotten about that. He turned back to Maxie to finish their conversation, only to find her gone. With a frown, he looked around, but she seemed to have left. With a shrug, Logan pushed away from her desk.

Their conversation wasn't over, but he guessed they could finish that another time. After all, he now knew where to find her. He could even ask one of the other reporters about her name, but not right now. She was right. He hated an unfinished quest and simply asking Doyle or someone else would be too easy. That would be cheating. He'd rather find out on his own. Or even better, bring her to tell him herself.

Of course he hadn't expected her to agree to go out with him. Actually, he would have been seriously disappointed in her if she had agreed so easily. This way, it was much more fun. And there was no doubt that sooner or later, she'd come out with him on a date. So far every girl had given in at the end. Though, to be honest, they never had been so resistant like Maxie was.

Still, Logan was confident. He just needed to find out what would do the trick for her, and then she was his.

* * *

Sadly though, he hadn't had time to hunt for Maxie in the next few days. Partly, because he really needed to work for his classes in order to get everything cleared for the next LDB event the following week. Also, he needed to work on the article for which he got ready by mainly reading through Weiszman's books again to get a good background for the interview, also next week. And the two times he had been in the newspaper room, she unfortunately hadn't been there, much to his disappointment.

Therefore he wasn't any nearer in his quest to find out her full name. He had found a little time to go through the archive of the Yale Daily News, see if he could find an article from a Rory, but no luck. Almost everyone used initials, especially on the first name. There had been a few R's, but he had known most of those reporters. And the two he hadn't recognized had turned out to be male, so definitely not his Maxie. Slowly, Logan started to suspect that Rory was actually that official nickname of hers she had mentioned. That would explain why he couldn't find Rory either on the invitation list or now in the paper.

But if that was the case, how should he ever succeed in getting her name? Rory could be short for a lot of names. Or perhaps it was her middle name, or short for a middle name.

In short, the task sure turned to almost getting impossible. But he hadn't given up yet. He'd give it another few days and if he hadn't learned anything by then, he'd go ask Doyle, as much as Logan hated that thought.

While sorting through the archive he had spotted a few articles of a certain _LL Gilmore_ though, reminding him that they still had to check out the Gilmore girl for her qualifications to join the LDB. He had used the opportunity to peruse over some of her articles. After all, the way she wrote would already say quite a lot about her, at least that was how it was supposed to be. Besides, he was still supposed to socialize with her, or at least talk once with her, that much had gotten clear on his mother's party and some 'casual' remarks from his parents since then. He was a little surprised to find himself enjoying her articles. They were thoroughly researched, but never came out as boring, however dull the topic of her article may be. Then, there had been a few critiques from her, that were simply hilarious. He had liked the biting sarcasm in them, making him laugh out loud. From what he gathered out of her articles, the ominous Gilmore girl seemed to be quite intelligent and witty. So perhaps it wouldn't be _that _bad to socialize a little with her. Of course though, a person wasn't always like she wrote. Could also very well be that she only got out of her shell while writing and in real life was a shy kid, barely able to get out two words.

Oh well, time would tell.

For now, he needed to find out more about his Maxie.

The chances of that happening today though were pretty much slim, Logan thought darkly as he pulled into the parking lot of the Country Club. Today, sucking up to Daddy Dearest and some of his associates was on the program. That's right. Part of his father's plan to 'clean up Logan's act' was to start grooming the business contacts, of course in a casual manner for starters, as his dad had informed him last weekend. This mostly meant in this circle, a round of golf in the country club with a glass of scotch and a fine cigar afterwards.

In other words… boring.

With a sigh, Logan got out his golf bag and then headed inside. A beautiful Saturday afternoon… and he was stuck playing golf with his father and other calcified old guys. Great, absolutely great. He really hadn't anything better to do.

"There you are," his father greeted him with a frown. "Late as usual of course."

"Five minutes, Dad," Logan tiredly replied.

"One day you'll learn just how important five minutes can be," his father lectured him. "And David just called, he can't make it."

"So no golf today?" Logan hopefully asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course we golf. There are always enough men around the club worth playing with to re-establish your contacts," his father said.

"Of course," sighed Logan and sat down to change into his golf shoes.

At that moment, Richard Gilmore came into the locker room. "Oh, Mitchum, Logan, good to see you two," he greeted them with a smile, walking over to his locker.

"You too, Richard," Mitchum greeted back, while Logan simply nodded. "You here for a quick round of golf as well?"

"That had been the plan, but I'm afraid Peter canceled on me," Richard replied.

"Why don't you join us then?" Mitchum invited him as Logan had already seen it coming since Richard had joined them. "David canceled on us as well."

Well, at least Logan knew and liked Richard. It could be worse.

"Tempting, but I'm supposed to meet my granddaughter in a bit," Richard regretfully answered.

"No problem, she can join us. It's about time I meet that future star on the newspaper sky anyway, see what's all the talk about her," his father then said, causing Logan to jerk up his head with a frown.

Or perhaps it was definitely worse.

"Well…" Richard said hesitantly. "She's not exactly much into golf."

"She knows how to play?" Mitchum wanted to know.

"Technically yes, but she really…"

"Well, then it's settled. We'll see you out on the grass then." Mitchum ignored Richard's hesitance and simply decided, grabbed his things and walked out.

Something his father liked doing, as Logan knew only too well. He glanced at Richard's doubtful face and with a weak smile at him, he hurried after his father. "Perhaps we should look for someone else, Dad, Richard didn't seem too enthusiastic to join us with his granddaughter."

"Nonsense. Richard's firm provides some of our insurance coverage, Logan, and let me tell you, it's always a good idea to be on a friendly relationship with the man who insures you, in your best interest. Besides, I was meaning to meet that granddaughter of his anyway. From what I heard she must be slightly less boring than most girls usually are. And if she's as good as they say… all the better. The sooner you can snatch up a new talent the better," his father told him, striding towards the first hole.

Resigned, Logan followed his father. Mitchum Huntzberger had set his mind and that was all that was to be said about this.

* * *

Perhaps ten minutes later, Richard joined them, stashing his bag beside Mitchum's in one of the carts they had organized in the meantime. Looked like the 'young ones' were supposed to ride together, Logan thought sarcastically. What a surprise. Oh well, at least this way, he would have that stupid meeting with her out of the way. Yeah, after having read some of her stuff he had looked a bit forward to meeting her, but that still didn't mean that he wanted his meeting her being forced on him like that.

Hmm… actually… could it be that the old ones had actually arranged for this little 'chance' meeting of theirs? That would be just like them, he thought, peeved.

The Gilmore girl had yet to show up, though. If he was lucky, she had bailed out of here the second she had heard about this ridiculous golf round.

"Where's your girl now?" his father asked.

"Oh, she just had to go get her stuff. She should come any moment," Richard answered. He looked behind the Huntzbergers and his face lit up. "Ah, here she comes already."

Logan and his father turned around and Logan froze.

No. _Fucking._ Way.

"Rory, there you are!" Richard cheerfully greeted his granddaughter. "Come here," he said and stepped to her, who herself stared unbelieving at Logan. Looked like she could barely believe this coincidence either. Putting an arm around her shoulder, Richard turned to the Huntzbergers again. "Mitchum, may I introduce you to my granddaughter, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore? But we all call her Rory though. Rory, this is Mitchum Huntzberger and his son Logan," he introduced.

Lorelai? No wonder he never found a Rory listed anywhere, Logan thought absentmindedly. But hell, how can Rory be short for Lorelai?

Well… that was one way to find out who Maxie really was, Logan then thought numbly, noticing that she seemed to pale a little when the name Huntzberger fell. Was it possible that she hadn't known that they were Huntzbergers? Hmm… yeah, could be. After all, they had never introduced each other properly and when his mother had made the rounds, the Gilmore girl had been elusive – because she had been searching her way back to the party.

He shook his head. Even with Maxie right in front of him, with Richard Gilmore's arm around her, he could hardly believe that his Maxie was actually the Gilmore girl. Of all the people she could have been… it just didn't make sense. Then again, it did made sense. Perfect sense. Her being on their party, for example. Hadn't she said that she had gone to the library with her grandfather, where she had lost them then? Hadn't Richard said that they had lost his granddaughter somewhere on the way? Then that he had finally seen her at the paper again, where the Gilmore girl was apparently a part of the team. Hell, he really should have connected the dots sooner… why had he never thought it possible that Maxie could actually be the Gilmore girl?

Easy. His Maxie had been so different from any other society girl he had ever met before that he had never really entertained the possibility that she could be part of the mighty circle, whereas he had assumed that the Gilmore girl was like every other girl with the 'right' family name, even if she seemed to be a bit more brainy than they usually came. Simply: two seemingly completely different persons.

Looked like he had been wrong there… how the hell was it possible that he had overlooked the fact that Maxie was a socialite, just like him? That had never happened to him before! And what nerve had she to criticize and mock him when she herself was no better than he, nothing more than a socialite?

"Pleasure to finally meet you, Rory, may I call you Rory? Your grandfather speaks only the highest praises of you," Mitchum smiled, shaking Maxie's hand.

"Yeah, he is like that," Maxie said dryly. "It's an honor to meet you, Sir," she greeted politely.

Then her eyes slid to Logan and they narrowed. "Logan," she said simply.

"Maxie," he greeted sweetly. At the confused looks of the two older men, he shrugged. "Just a little inside joke," he explained.

"Oh, so you have met after all?" asked Richard surprised.

Logan smiled at Maxie. "Yeah, one could say that," he replied.

"Hmm… Haven't I seen you before as well?" asked his father with a frown.

"Uh…" Maxie uttered, blushing a little.

Smiling at the memory of just when Maxie had met his father, Logan quickly jumped in. "Probably on the last party, Dad, she's been there, you know," he said, hoping that now that his father had a plausible explanation, he wouldn't search his memory any further, like he would if he didn't find a satisfying answer. And sooner or later he would recognize Maxie as the girl that had confronted him in front of his home office.

After all, his father was an important man in the business and Logan remembered well what her grandparents had said about their granddaughter's ambitions. He didn't want her to get in trouble for coming to his aid.

"Right, at the party," Mitchum nodded and smiled. "Well, why don't we get started?" he asked and walked over to the cart to pick out a club.

With a tense smile at Logan, Maxie pulled Richard a few feet away. "Huntzberger?" she hissed in a low voice, but Logan had no qualms to listen in. "We're going to play golf with _Mitchum_ Huntzberger?"

"Oh, didn't I mention that?" Richard said innocently.

Logan suppressed a snicker.

"No, you didn't! Grandpa, I told you I don't want you to let your contacts with Mr. Huntzberger play in my favor," she whispered angrily. "I don't want any favors. Either I'm good enough as a reporter or I'm not. You know that. Yet, here you arranged for me to meet him. And playing golf! What were you thinking? I suck at golf! Now all he'll ever remember about me is that I suck at golf!"

Richard sighed. "Rory, I swear to you that I haven't arranged this. But I do think it's a fortunate coincidence. Look at it as fate."

Maxie shook her head.

"And Rory, you know I love you and your honesty and ambition to achieve everything in life on your own, but frankly said, it's time that you grow up and stop being naive," Richard continued gently. "Believe me, Mitchum is smart enough to look past your golf skills. The only important thing is that he gets to know you, see you as the bright young person you are, as the promising young journalist. And he's a business man through and through. It doesn't matter that you're my granddaughter. If he likes your work as a reporter, then because it's good, not because you're my granddaughter. If he doesn't, then he will have no qualms to tell you so."

Dead right, thought Logan, nodding to himself.

"But you need to learn that the world out there is a hard world, Rory. Too hard to ignore contacts that could help you further your career. Believe me, you still will have to do enough on your own to make it, to make yourself a name, get respected in the business world. Which is even more reason to use what you have at hand," Richard told her.

"Mom made it on her own, without any help. Countless people make it on their own," protested Maxie.

"Yes, they did. But you'll find out with time that even those, yeah, even your mother, will have profited from their contacts and relations at one time or another," Richard said simply. "Now come, Mitchum has already played his ball."

Quickly, Logan looked over to his father and indeed, his father was just lowering his arms.

"Nice shot, Mitchum. I'll have to see how I can make it better," Richard said, walking over to the cart to get a club.

Logan looked back to Maxie who still stood where her grandfather had left her, biting her lips. So she didn't want to live on her family's name. Interesting. Unrealistic, but interesting. And he admired it. But he agreed with Richard. It was a bit naïve. And stupid. He knew well enough that others would kill for the powerful contact she had with Richard Gilmore as her grandfather. For her own sake, she should listen to her grandfather's wise words.

Slowly, he walked over to her. "So… Gilmore, huh?"

She gave him a look.

"Hmm… I wonder why a rich girl like you needs to stake out places and burglarize them." He looked critically at her. "You don't seem like a thrill seeker to me. So… what led you to the path of vice, Maxie? Boredom?" He grinned. "Or do you have a Robin Hood complex going on. Stealing from the rich to give it to the poor?"

"You think you're very funny, don't you?" Maxie asked sarcastically.

Logan nodded. "Yeah, actually, I do. Of course, the stalking me part I totally get. Just couldn't help yourself anymore, couldn't you?"

"I didn't stalk you! Actually, right now, my goal in life is to avoid you!" she protested, exasperated.

"Oh come on, why deny it any longer? I mean, look at the facts: First you show up at my house," Logan replied generously.

"I had no idea whose mansion it was! My grandparents just hustled me into their car, babbling about a party invitation they have forgotten and next thing I know I'm in front of that mausoleum," Rory set him straight.

Logan stored that little information for later and continued, undisturbed by her interruption. "Then you show up at the paper…"

"Because I'm on the paper!" she hissed. "I actually am there on a regular basis, you know. I still have to see you there again!"

"And now you even followed me here to the country club," Logan finished, shaking his head. "Not only that, you even brought Richard to arrange this golf party, just so you could meet me again. I gotta say, I'm fairly touched at your obsession with me. A little worried, but touched. Just don't let it get too Kathy Bates, will you?"

"I didn't follow you here! I came here to meet with my grandpa like I do every first Saturday of the month to have a drink and a little talk, just the two of us," Maxie told him through a clenched jaw. "And I certainly haven't arranged for this here! I _hate_ golf!"

"Just keep telling yourself that," Logan replied with an indulgent smile.

God, he loved to rile her up!

"Your turn," she told him seething.

Logan looked up and indeed, Richard had made his shot already. With a smile, he bowed to her. "Why? Do you think I do not have any manners, Ms. Gilmore?" He shook his head. "Ladies first, of course."

She looked like she had bitten into a lemon, but she did grab herself a club (blindly taking it out of her bag as he noticed) and a ball and went over to the tee to make her tee-off. Not hesitating long or even looking into the direction she was supposed to shoot, she reached back and let the golf club come down on the ball with momentum. Oh, she hit it, only to send it straight into the trees.

He winced. Boy, she hadn't been kidding when she had said that she sucked at golf. She had made pretty much everything wrong that she could. Smirking, he chose an iron and went over to the tee himself. "All for the woods, huh Maxie?" he teased while he narrowed his eyes on the hole pole before he made his tee-off.

His ball landed on the green. Another shot and he would have his ball in the hole.

"Great shot, Logan," Richard nodded. "I see you're still as good as before."

"Thanks, Richard," Logan thanked him and pushed his club back into his bag. "I try to stay in practice."

Not that he had much choice with his father scheduling little golf parties all the time.

They got into the carts to drive over to the hole. Like anticipated, Richard and Mitchum in the first, leaving Logan and Maxie to drive together in the second. But other than anticipated, Logan was now more than happy with that pairing.

He glanced at her, sitting with crossed arms beside him, making a sour face and basically giving the perfect picture of a pout. He smiled.

"Now that I know your name and official nickname, _Rory_, why don't we talk about that date again?"

She mumbled something that he couldn't get. Which was probably better so.

"I think we agreed on two dates, didn't we?"

"_We_ agreed on nothing," she grumpily clarified.

He cast a look at her. "Have you vacated my desk or have you not?" he asked.

"Of course I haven't. It's _my_ desk," she snapped.

Logan ignored her objection. "Well, and the deal was you can keep the desk for two dates and a back massage. As you haven't cleared the desk yet I assume you agree on the conditions. So… when would it be convenient for you? How about tonight? Or perhaps rather next Friday?"

"How does 'never' sound?" she asked sarcastically.

"Sorry, I fear 'Never' is already reserved," Logan answered without a blink.

"God… are you always so perky or am I just the lucky one?" Maxie asked, rolling her eyes.

"You're definitely lucky, after all you've got me asking you out," Logan replied with a self-indulgent grin.

"With every word out of your mouth, your chances of getting me to ever go out with you, gets dimmer," she informed him. "Especially with such lame, over-used lines."

"Aha, but you finally admit that there is a chance," Logan pointed out triumphantly. "Then I'll immediately start on working on my lines. Wouldn't want to bore the lady after all."

Maxie said nothing.

"Speechless, the lady is," Logan grinned.

"Rather having decided that this case of delusion of yours is obviously a lost cause," Maxie said with a glare. "And please, no Yoda impersonations. That's simply ridiculous coming from you."

"Because I'm such a better looking guy than the little green one?" Logan asked, wriggling his eyebrows.

"No, because your brain is the size of a red bean whereas Yoda is all-knowing. Or at least pretty much close to it," she explained.

"You think my brain is the size of a red bean? I'm touched. And here I thought you were going for a pea," Logan responded.

"Nah. If Doyle is willing to give you the interview with Weiszman instead of me or Paris I think it must be slightly bigger than a pea. He wouldn't risk messing that one up just because the newspaper mogul of the States wants a good shot for his son," she said with a shrug.

Surprised, he looked at her with a frown. "You think so?" he asked seriously.

She frowned a little at his reaction, but nodded. "That's the only reason I can imagine why Doyle went and gave that interview to _you_." Her eyes narrowed. "He's not completely stupid after all, so I guess he knows more about your questionable ability to write a solid article than I. But then, I've yet to read an article from you. Or rather said, find one first."

"It's called Internet, honey," Logan helped her generously, but inside, his heart pounded.

She thought he had gotten the article on Weiszman on his own, not because of his father? Could she be right? Had Doyle really so much backbone to deny the great Huntzberger the wish that his only son got the best article available? Had he then really so much confidence in Logan's skills to give him the article?

"You call me honey again and you'll be joining the choir as a soprano," she warned.

"What is it with you and your aversion to nicknames?" Logan asked, shaking his head.

"What is it with guys insisting on using nicknames or ridiculous, disgusting endearments?" she asked back.

"Says the girl who goes by Rory," he teased.

"Which is a nickname my mother gave me right after my birth and makes totally sense as her name's Lorelai as well which really would get confusing," she pointed out. "But as I already go by a nickname there's really no need for you to come up with another one."

"Ah, but we don't come up with nicknames, they crystallize themselves, Maxie," Logan told her patiently.

"Then un-crystallize it," she told him, her eyes two blue slits.

For a moment, Logan looked at her pondering, then he shook his head and grinned. "Nope, not going to happen. Maxie's way too fitting for you."

"I'm not a burglar! Nor am I a mutant out of a tube!" she protested.

"Perhaps not. But you're awfully cute, sexy like hell so one could easily think that gene-manipulation had something to do with that, witty and smart and boy, you sure have a temper," Logan elaborated. "In short… you're Max." He pulled to a stop beside the little forest her ball had disappeared into. "Want me to help you find your ball?"

She jerked up from her death glare at him and noticed where they were. With a huff, she got out of the cart. "No thanks," she hissed and stomped into the woods.

Logan laughed after her.

* * *

They were on the way to the eighteenth hole and Logan was in lead with Richard close behind him, his father third and Maxie… yeah well, let's just say she was definitely on the last place. By the time they had reached the eleventh hole she had probably managed a place on the record for the worst player ever. No one, not even Logan's father had anything against the casual suggestion of Logan to perhaps let her off the hook while she had been yet again in search of her ball somewhere in the outskirts. It probably had been her last ball anyway. Of course, besides giving up, his father also hated losing his precious time and they lost a lot of time, waiting for her while searching for her balls.

She had only mildly protested, but she had protested and Logan knew that that had given her a few plus points in his father's eyes. Though from what he saw, she didn't really need them. His father seemed to accept her enough. Logan would even say he liked her, but then, Mitchum Huntzberger didn't like people. He accepted, tolerated, respected or hated them, but he didn't like. But then, Maxie might be terrible at golf but otherwise, it soon got obvious that she was intelligent, well informed about what was going on in the world and well-read and had no problem at all keeping up with the old men's conversation about politics and literature, something that no girl of that background usually did, at least no one Logan knew and Logan was sure that he knew pretty much every girl of Hartford's high society.

Then again, he sure had never met Maxie before and as Richard's and Emily's granddaughter she definitely was part of Hartford's high society. How come that he had never met her before? Hell, he never even had heard of her before!

He glanced at her. Their cart rides had mostly been filled with the banter they seemed to have going on and Logan had enjoyed himself more than he had in a long time. At least when he had been with a girl. Not to mention while being in the presence of his father and one of his associates as well. Actually, he was almost sad that this was one of their last rides together because one more shot and the game would be over.

"What?" she asked defensively, noticing his stare.

"Nothing… I'm just wondering where Richard and Emily have hid you all these years," Logan answered truthfully. "Were you in a boarding school abroad?"

She laughed. "Me and boarding school?"

Logan looked at her confused. What was so funny at that?

When she noticed his confusion, she shook her head. "Not that it's any of your business, but I never was away from home until I moved to Yale. Well, that summer in Washington before senior year, but that doesn't count." She smiled affectionately to herself. "I knew it would be hard, leaving home, even knowing that Stars Hollow isn't that far away, but still… I was so homesick the first night at Yale that Mom had to come and stay with me for the night." She grinned. "Not that she hadn't loved the opportunity for a pajama party."

If she thought that would clear up his confusion, she was wrong. In fact, it only added to his confusion. She had been homesick? Wanted her mom to be with her on the first night in Yale? Logan remembered well the first night he had been at Yale. Or rather said, he didn't remember all that much. But boy, he did know that that party had been something, one of the bests ever.

And… "Stars Hollow? Where on earth is Stars Hollow?" he asked, bewildered.

She shrugged. "Somewhere between New Haven and Hartford, perhaps thirty miles from Hartford, a small town. Mom and I live there."

Richard and Emily's daughter and granddaughter living in a small town?

"So, no boarding school?" he asked again, still having problems with that concept. Every kid he knew had been at least at one boarding school.

She rolled her eyes. "Nope, no boarding school, just Stars Hollow High and then Chilton. And now Yale."

"You went to Chilton?" Logan asked, interested. Well, that sounded more plausible. Seeing that she couldn't quite understand his confusion with her not attending any boarding schools, he decided to drop the topic. Instead, he smirked. "How did you ever pass PE? As far as I know they demand at least one PE class finals, don't they? So… you a secret water ballet star or something like that?"

"And getting wet all the time? I don't think so. No, I passed by taking golf," she answered with a grin.

He stared at her. "You're kidding, aren't you?"

"Nope," she said, shaking. "I'm dead serious. I have my report cards to prove it, if you absolutely must see them for proof."

"How could they let you pass with golf? You suck at golf!" Logan wanted to know, flabbergasted.

"Yep, that I do. But they realized in the end that me and sport… a big uh-uh and any other sport would have been hazardous either for myself or the people in a half mile radius. Took them two years to get that, but I got my pass and that's it," she explained.

He believed every word she had said. After all, for the past couple of hours he had watched her play. Unfortunately, at that point, they reached the last hole. He pulled in behind the other cart and they got out.

"Ah Logan, looks like I won't have any chance to get you anymore," Richard said good-naturedly, looking at the three balls on the green.

"Sorry Richard, perhaps next time," Logan replied. Though if his father insisted on these golf parties in the future as well, he would probably lead by even more shots. He always had been pretty good in golf, even though he was a bit out of practice since he went to Yale, not as good as he was in tennis, but good enough to mostly come out as the winner. Like this time. Well, perhaps he could use the eight hundred bucks that was in the pool by now to properly take out Maxie, once she saw reason and gave in.

"Well, let's finish this," Mitchum said and went to his ball.

Two shots later, his ball was in the hole. Same with Richard. Logan made one shot.

"Good game, Logan," Richard congratulated him, shaking his hand.

Logan involuntarily looked over to Maxie who had watched the end of the game, obviously a bit bored. "Yeah, it had been fun," he agreed.

"How about a drink, Richard?" Mitchum asked.

"Sorry, another time. We have dinner guests tonight and you know Emily," Richard said regretfully.

"All right, let's head out then," Mitchum nodded and went back to the cart, Richard behind him, while Logan went back to Maxie in the second cart.

"Why am I not surprised that you've won?" Maxie asked as he got into the driver's seat.

"Because you saw just what a formidable sportsman I am?" Logan offered, smiling at her.

"Uh… no, I don't think so. You probably were already golfing when you were barely able to walk. Tell me, what is it with rich men and golf?" she asked, shaking her head.

"I was five when I started to play and it's not just a sport for the rich. Rannulph Junuh and Bagger Vance were your average poor boys," Logan informed her.

"They were movie figures," Maxie contradicted him.

"Not Junuh, he was real. Vance, I'm not sure," he admitted.

"Oh great, so one out of how many millions? Wow, yeah, golf is really something for the poor people," Maxie said with heavy sarcasm.

Logan smiled and looked at her. "There's something I'd like to know… what exactly do you have against the rich and privileged? I mean, you're one yourself, so that's a bit of a pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?"

She frowned and shook her head. "I have no idea where you get that I'm one of the rich and spoiled, but I'm not."

"You're a Gilmore," Logan stated with a frown.

"And?"

"Maxie, come on. Your grandparents…"

"Exactly," Maxie interrupted him. "My grandparents, not my mom, not me. We work for our money, we don't live on it and it's not much money. Yeah, my grandparents are paying my school fees because I did not qualify for financial aid. But it's a loan and once college is over and I'm working, I'm going to pay them back, with interests of course."

She did _what_?

She shook her head. "No. I'm not one of your precious high society girls," she declared fiercely, staring him into his eyes. "And thank God for that. Out of the bunch of you kids at Chilton and Yale I learned to know perhaps three, four people who weren't so bad."

Ouch. Not that that fazed Logan in any way. He couldn't really blame her for such a statement. He couldn't stand most of his fellow society kids either. But there were exceptions. And it was high time she learned that. "Then, my dear Maxie, you definitely haven't met the right people," he told her.

"Yeah, sure," she snorted.

His grin intensified. "Yep, definitely," he insisted with a nod.

"Peg me as skeptical," she replied dryly.

"Well, let me introduce you to a few friends of mine and I bet you'll change your opinion," he suggested, thinking about the LDB.

Now that he had officially met Lorelai Leigh Gilmore he could definitely say that she'd be an asset to the LDB. He did see a problem with her attitude towards the rich though. Yeah, there were a few non-society and no-money people in the group, but not many. Most of them were the sons and daughters of high society. But the way he saw it, no one had ever bothered to show her the positive side of being rich.

"I don't think so, no," Maxie though declined.

Logan gave her his lost puppy eyes. "And why not?"

"Because I don't like you, so why should I like your friends?" she explained slowly as if she was talking to a five year old.

"Aw no, that's not true. You do like me a little," he said confidently.

She sighed. "I can say nothing to convince you otherwise, can't I? You're that deluded, aren't you?"

"Wise, Maxie, not deluded, very wise," Logan corrected her.

"God, I need coffee," she murmured.

"Well, if you ask nicely, I may be convinced to pull in at Starbucks on the way back," Logan offered.

"What?"

"Or are you attending your grandparent's dinner party as well?" he wanted to know.

"God no!"

He nodded and pulled into the cart area of the country club reluctantly. "Good. Then we might turn in on the way back to Yale."

"What the hell… No, you know what, just forget it," Maxie said exasperated. "But let's make a few things clear here: First, I have my own car here, I don't need a ride. Second, even if I were without a ride I would rather take the bus than ride with you. Third, I'm heading home, not back to Yale and fourth, you and me? Please, a snowball in hell has more chances of surviving than I'll ever agree to go out with you." Thus said she slid out of the cart and stomped over to her grandfather, who was just saying his farewell to Logan's father.

Grinning, Logan slowly got out of their cart as well and went to get his stuff from the back, taking hers out also.

It looked like there were cold times ahead in hell. Because one way or another, he would get his date with Maxie. She seemed stubborn enough… but Rory Gilmore had never met Logan's persistence when he was determined to get something… or someone.

And the more he learned of Maxie, the more he wanted to know.

* * *

TBC!

_(__Author's Note: FINALLY! I'm sorry this took so long, but you know, life, muses, bunnies, time… But be assured, I may take sometimes a bit long, but I have yet to abandon a story of mine and leave it unfinished. Besides, I'm getting my new notebook today and do hope that with that, I'll find more time from now on to work on my stories. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. I sure had fun writing it. Next chapter's title: Nothing like a little blackmail. Now guess what that could be… yep. That. And yeah, of course Finn and Colin will soon join the 'cast' again, but for this chapter, I sadly couldn't need them. Well, thanks for all the wonderful reviews and the many reminders to finally UPDATE this story. And please… don't stop reviewing! I live for reviews!"_


	4. Nothing Like A Little Blackmail

**Chapter 4: Nothing Like A Little Blackmail**

Over the next couple of weeks, Logan made it a goal to run into Maxie wherever and however many times he could manage to. That had been a piece of cake, knowing her real name now. By Monday morning he knew where she lived (Branford, ground floor apartment for only two students which told him that someone had put in her family influence to get her into that first-class dorm; but then, she was a Gilmore after all, so she was just where she belonged), with whom she lived (and he was still wondering about _that_… after having met Paris Gellar in the YDN, he seriously wondered how anyone could live with her voluntarily; and as the apartment had already been scoured with using vitamin B it had to be a voluntarily rooming… strange, strange, strange), her very busy schedule (seriously, how did that girl manage to get in so many classes and extra lectures _and_ working for the YDN?) and her designated parking lot space. All very useful information to predict where she was going to be.

He had coincidentally run into her in front of her classrooms, had been already ordering coffee at the coffee carts she most likely would cross and stop briefly for another cup (he had found out in the very first day that Maxie apparently run on a _very_ high caffeine level… but then, considering the hours she put in that was no wonder), had joined one of her extra classes (which was only partly because of her, his dad had pestered him about taking more classes for ages), had suddenly needed several books from the libraries she visited several times a day (also not quite untrue, he did need some of the books for his own studies). And he would have tried to run into her in the evenings as well, but unfortunately, what she did at nights was yet a mystery to him. Mostly she had stayed in as far as he knew but seriously, she couldn't spend all this wonderful kick-back time studying, could she?

Of course he made it also a point to try to be at the YDN at the same time she was there whenever he could. It was one of the few places he couldn't quite predict when she'd be there and though had managed that only partly. But thankfully there were staff meetings which he now attended with a regularity that would please his father greatly, like just right now, smirking across the room at Maxie. She glowered and Logan's grin widened. God it was fun to rile this girl up.

"Gilmore, how's your next report coming?" Doyle wanted to know at that moment.

"Perfectly," she answered simply.

Doyle frowned. "Want to elaborate on that?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Ah Doyle, you know how much I like to surprise you."

Doyle's frown deepened. "Well, I don't like surprises. Tell me what you've got."

"Have I ever disappointed you?" she asked instead of answering, raising an eyebrow.

"Gilmore, are you flirting with me?" Doyle asked with narrowed eyes.

Logan snickered as Maxie's eyes widened a bit.

"I would never, Doyle," she assured, causing Logan to snicker louder. She threw him a glare which he returned with a big smirk.

"Okay, but you better submit some outline by the end of the week," Doyle grumbled. "Logan!"

Logan jumped to attention. "Sir, yes Sir, boss."

Doyle flustered a bit but then took a deep breath. "You've got an interview scheduled with the Dean of Students about the new grading system for the midterms tomorrow at eleven thirty in his office."

Apparently, Doyle preferred that Logan should cover most of the interviews. The report on the interview with Weiszman had been really interesting and Logan's article had been on the front page, in fact, above the fold and if he might say so… damn good. The following week, Doyle had assigned him to make a series of little interviews for an article about the general opinion of the upcoming changes in the grading system, and now the interview with the Dean. Not that Logan minded. He liked interviewing people. Talking came easy to him and often, like it had been with Weiszman, he had a highly fascinating and remarkable time talking with them. The only problem was that there was a small meeting planned for tomorrow afternoon and follow morning with the LDB in preparation for the big main event coming the following week and if he had to interview the Dean at eleven thirty, that would get awfully tight for him to be in time for the departure of the LDB. The Dean liked to hear himself talk. But, he guessed, he'd manage it. And if not, he could always drive after them in his own car.

"I'm delighted to have a little chat with the Dean," he simply answered with a grin and Doyle hurried to assign the next article to one of the staff writers.

Five minutes later the staff meeting was over and immediately, Logan walked over to Maxie. "That was a nice show you gave there."

She scowled but otherwise ignored him. Not that that bothered Logan as he went around the desk and leaned against it, gazing down at her. "Come on, this is me. You can admit it to me." He leaned down towards her. "You have no idea what to write about yet, do you, Maxie?" he whispered conspiratorially.

Finally, she looked up from the keyboard she was typing on furiously to glare at him. "As if I'm going to tell you my ideas... I wasn't born yesterday, Huntzberger."

"Nah, definitely not or something would be seriously wrong with me or you're a small genetic wonder, which of course could be, considering it's you, Maxie," Logan replied and raised an eyebrow at her. "So... have you been born yesterday?"

Her eyes returned to her screen. "Considering that you've annoyed the heck out of me for the past two weeks I think that question is answered in itself," she tried to flip him off.

Logan nodded amiably. "You've got a point there, Maxie. Very smart of you. Now that that's settled, how about we go on our first date Friday night? After all, the longer you don't pay up, the more expensive it will get."

She groaned. "Not that nonsense again!" Her head snapped up and two very annoyed deep blue eyes sparkled in a beautiful glare at him. "God, you're just impossible! When will it seep through your thick headed arrogance that I am not going to go out with you, ever? Especially not over something that belongs to me anyway and certainly not yours for a long time now. So why don't you just finally stop irritating the hell out of me and pick one of the hundreds of bimbos who for some incomprehensible reason fawn all over you and would just die if you'd look at them instead of wasting your time with charming me, which will never happen because newsflash, Huntzberger, I don't like you."

Logan's smile deepened. "Hmm, where do I begin? Ah, I know. Let's start with a well used cliché: Never say never, Maxie. Though I do hate to refer to such common clichés, this is a James Bond reference and we all know that those are impossible to grow old. Second, though again I do hate to repeat myself, we had this discussion already and it doesn't matter how long it's been since you started using this desk and have your personal stuff on it," he pointed at Henry, the fluffy thing on her desk, "and therefore hasn't been occupied by me… this is _my_ desk and stays so until I graduate and it's only thanks to my generous heart that I let you use it for the time being and not just have your stuff and little Henry here removed." Before he could give Henry a little tab, she snatched it up and held it out of Logan's reach who had to suppress a burst of laughter. Jeez, she was cute! "Third, of course you like me, you just haven't admitted it yet to yourself. But, and that would be fourth, you did mention a certain willingness of other girls to fall for my undeniable charm which means you noticed said girls and that, my dearest Maxie, I find highly interesting." Again, he leaned down a little and gently blew an escaped lock of her hair back. "Jealous much, Maxie?"

She blushed a deep red and swiftly pushed away to stand up. "That's probably a new concept for you but guess what, not everything in this world revolves around you and not every girl is blinded by your good looks, the black American Express card, the Porsche or even your wit, however self-deluded that one is. Now guess what… I'm one of those girls." Thus said she gave him a particular lethal glare and scurried out in a huff with Henry safely cradled in one of her hands.

Grinning widely, Logan let her go and plopped down on the vacated chair, still warm from her. He relaxed back, putting his feet onto the table. The lady, he thought, definitely protested too much. Beside, there had been that blush. He did affect her, no doubt. But he had to admit that she for sure was very pigheaded. Never before had a girl resisted him that long. Not that her playing hard to get had anything to do with his attraction to her. From what he got from his memorable and explosive encounters with one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore he was sure that even if she finally succumbed to his persistent 'courting' of her, he wouldn't lose his interest in her. This girl was far too interesting. Not only was she beautiful, she had character, was smart as hell, well-read from what he had gathered, never at a loss of a comeback and heaven, she was funny. Not to mention that she had quite a temper.

A dangerous combination. Lethal even... but then, Logan loved to live dangerously. And he had a hunch that this girl was worth every burn he'd get until she'd succumb. Which she would, no doubt about that. Sooner or later. Though, if it went according to Logan, it was rather sooner than later.

But boy, the fun he'd have until then. Not to mention the fun he'd have then.

* * *

"I'm thirsty."

"You're always thirsty," Colin replied, rolling his eyes. "We aren't even finished with the current pint yet."

"Yeah well, but now I'm particularly thirsty," Finn clarified impatiently, looking at Logan.

Taking the hint, Logan shook his head. "I can go get another pint now as well," he said to Colin. "Otherwise he'll never shut up."

Finn nodded, pleased. "That's the right spirit, mate. But don't you dare come back with beer. We're through with beer. I want a little of good ol' Jackyboy. And hurry up, will you? I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I'm thirsty!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going already. And whiskey it is," Logan said and with rolling his eyes at Colin, he went over to the bar where he placed the new order.

"Hey Huntzberger."

Startled to hear that particular voice, Logan looked to his left and blinked.

_Maxie?_

Nah, that had to be an hallucination. Though he hadn't had really that much to drink...

He blinked again and Maxie was still standing there, looking at him strangely.

Huh, looked like it wasn't an hallucination after all.

"Maxie?"

"Got an eye problem?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or are you already that drunk?"

Oh yeah, it was Maxie all right.

"Well, it's the first time that I see you anywhere fun and I must know 'cause I'm usually present where the fun is. So forgive me if I'm a little bit astonished to see you show up here," he rectified with a smile, taking his time to appreciatively look her up and down. She had opted for thick black stockings, a dark red short skirt, a black, long-sleeved turtleneck and a plaid vest in dark red colors. Her hair was curling in dark, soft waves around her face and she wore a light make-up that accentuated her beautiful blue eyes in just the right way. In words… Maxie definitely looked more than just a little hot, despite the almost non-existent skin showing. But then, he had always liked the girls who could dress sexy without showing off much skin. Nothing against skin, nothing at all… but no skin was classy and usually promised a far more interesting date than with the girls that loved to show much skin. Knowing Maxie, he knew that his little personal measuring had once again been proven right. Now she had just to finally agree to go out with him. For the moment though she was here and he planned to make the best out of that. "Nor have we the pleasure to see you that nicely dressed up very often which really is a shame. You look good, Maxie," he told her, his voice a bit more serious than he had opt for.

A faint blush rose in her cheeks but she saved herself well with a shrug, her eyes slightly going past him though.

Hmm.

"So... I was thinking," she said after a moment.

"Did it hurt much?" he wanted to know, grinning.

Her eyes finally focused back on him in the firm glare he loved so much. Oh yeah, this was his Maxie.

"Just how many of your brain cells did you already kill or at least subdued tonight?'Cause I gotta tell you, that one really had been way below any acceptable standard. I thought even you could do better than to use such an overused line." She shook her head. "Apparently, I've been wrong. And no, this time you can't save yourself with the excuse that it's a James Bond reference. It isn't."

"Would you believe me if I state that your mere breathtaking presence maybe made me a bit unoriginal because of a sudden lack of words?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cheesy is the word you're looking for and no, no chance there, buddy," Maxie told him dryly.

"Ah, thought so," Logan relented and hinted a light bow at her. "Well then, to what startling revelations did you come, oh bright straight A-student and closet genius?"

Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth. Smirking, he watched her silently count to ten. Then she closed her mouth again and instead smiled sweetly. Instantly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up in apprehension.

"You know, there is this annoying guy who just won't stop bothering me. And I thought about ways to finally get rid of him," she told him, looking pointedly at him.

"Really?" Logan commented, part of him a bit wary, part of him curious as hell, but he was simply amused to no end.

"Really," she nodded, her smile intensifying.

Okay, the wariness had just gone up. "And did you come to any solutions?" Logan wanted to know, carefully.

"Yeah, several actually," she once again said, nodding. "Too bad though that most of them are, while highly enjoyable to think about, sadly not quite legal and therefore not really an option."

"Glad to hear that," Logan muttered, but couldn't quite help the small smile escaping him.

"Yeah, you can say that one out loud. I doubt you'd like to lose one of your body parts. Especially one in particular." Her eyes dropped downwards and Logan suddenly had a hard time fighting the urge to cover a certain, very private and sensitive part of him protectively. "To hire a hit man is too expensive and I'm not yet ready to be as crazy as to call in the mob." At those words Logan relaxed a bit, remembering that she was just joking. "And of course I also thought about calling in the family and let my Grandma give your mother a call or perhaps even Grandpa to your father and grandfather but then, that would probably entail certain explanations and after that maybe even expectations from my grandparents to go to even more boring parties in return for that favor and that really is the least I want, for now."

Or perhaps she wasn't joking that much after all, Logan thought and swallowed. The nerve of her to bring up the families! She wouldn't really do that, would she? But no, she said she didn't want that herself... still. Perhaps, he'd better be a bit more careful with his pursuit of her.

"Uh, yeah, that one carries a high probability. Good thinking to not go about it that way," he nodded, quietly gulping again. "Found any other options?"

She nodded and once again, her smile intensified, causing all kind of alarms to go off in Logan's head. "Hmm. The way of least resistance. I figured the best way to get rid of you is to simply let you have what you want but with the condition that afterwards, you not only let me have _my_ desk, but also, that you leave me alone."

Wait... was she saying that...

"So I came here to see if you've got some time tonight and are interested to get that first date out of the way," Maxie continued, her eyes meeting him in a mixture of resignation and amusement.

_What?_

"Uh... Now?" Logan asked, stunned. Now this he hadn't expected at all.

Sure, he had known she'd succumb sooner or later… but he hadn't expected her to fall so soon.

"Yep. Know a better time to get this over with?" she nodded.

"Here?" he asked, looking around the full bar, uncertainly, still amazed and a tad disappointed by her sudden capitulation.

Maxie glanced around as well. "Well, why not? It's a bar, it has drinks and there's music. Perhaps not the best of the best, but it could be worse. And, there are plenty of people who look like they're having fun." Her eyes glided back to Logan's. "I'd say that's the perfect environment for a first date, don't you think so too?"

Well... yeah. Perhaps. But... was Maxie really serious here or was she just joking? Somehow he just couldn't believe that she really fell so soon... that wasn't like her. At least not like the girl he thought she was.

Logan glanced at the table where Colin and Finn still sat, talking with each other. "I'm here with some friends."

But Maxie shrugged. "Okay. Group thing then. I like group things. Actually, considering how much I really don't like you it's perhaps best if you've got reinforcement on your back. Chances are high that sooner or later you're going to say something that will really rile me up and then... no guarantees, Huntzberger."

At that, Logan gave her a look. Of course she perhaps really just wanted to get the dates over with in order to get rid of him. He remembered her blush from just a few moments ago and started to smile. Nah. "Admit it, Maxie, you just don't trust yourself alone with me," he teased her, falling back into his usual confidence.

Her eyes narrowed. "Got that one right for once, Huntzberger... though I'm pretty sure you just implied something entirely different from the reasons I had in mind. So what now? We game or are you actually saying no?"

Hell no! Logan may perhaps not quite trust this sudden change… or be a bit disappointed that she relented so fast… that didn't mean though that he'd pass on this chance.

"No, no, it's a date then," he assured her, smiling smugly.

"Don't be so smug. That's unbecoming," Maxie warned him with a frown and looked at the bar. "Well, aren't you going to offer me a drink or do I have to pay for my own drink?"

"Of course I would never allow that, date of mine," Logan told her and winked the bartender back before he looked at Maxie. "All I need is to know what your brew is."

Her eyes looked at the many different bottles over the counter. "A Cassique, please."

Not blinking, Logan smiled at her and then turned to the bartender to place the order, though he was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected her to get something with real alcohol in it. She definitely looked more like a girl to ask for some non-alcoholic drink or at least rather something soft like Bailey's or Sheridan. Not that he had any complaints.

While they waited for the bartender to bring him his orders, they didn't talk. Logan stole glances at her though, watching while she took in her surroundings and the other students milling around the bar. He still wasn't quite sure what to make out of this sudden turn of events. Something told him that she had a secret agenda for suddenly wanting to date him. Two days ago she was still spitting mad and now she wanted to date? Okay, she played it the resentful way but still... it didn't really make sense.

But then, the reason for her abrupt change of mind wasn't really that important, was it? What really counted was that she was here now, willing to spend the evening with him, even meeting some of his friends despite her firm refusal to do just that during their golf game. And she had gone to the extent of dressing up after all… if she really was so averse, so against the idea of dating him she would not have done to that, would she?

Oh yeah, he planned to use this opportunity to the fullest and show her just what a good time she could have with him and his friends… despite being rich, arrogant and snobbish people. And by the end of this evening, she would beg for that second date.

The bartender arrived with his order on a small tray which Logan took after paying. He turned and nodded Maxie into the direction of their booth. Her eyes turned to the indicated direction and then she must have spotted Colin because she nodded and led the way, clearing a path for him through the crowd for which Logan was more than grateful... not for the full tray he had balanced on his hands but for the very nice view it gave him of her beautiful backside, hips swaying lightly in her dark red skirt with no extra-sway whatsoever. She didn't need one. Yes, a very nice view indeed.

"Finn really, when will you realize that you can't justify everything just by saying that you're exotic?" Colin was asking resigned, shaking his head, when Logan and Maxie came within ear range.

"And why not? I _am_ exotic, as is proven day after day. You Americans are always so boringly unoriginal. And here I am, trying to teach my best mate to shake that boredom away and what do you do? You shake your head!" Finn argued and shook his head sadly.

"Finn, you are not exotic, you are crazy," Colin pointed out. "Anyone here will tell you that going down a 65 degrees inclined ramp in a plastic bag, clad in nothing but a bathing suit with barely 50 degrees weather outside is crazy and stupid, not exotic."

"Because you're all boring," Finn stubbornly repeated. "Besides, what is wrong with crazy? As Seneca already said: Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence. And we all know that I'm the smartest one of us. A genius. So therefore, my ideas are hardly just crazy."

"It was Henrik Tikkanen who said that, not Seneca," Maxie spoke up as she stepped up at their table. "Seneca said that there is no great genius without some touch of madness. Close but not exactly the same. But I'd be careful to claim yourself a genius, because remember Oscar Wilde: The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius." Finn and Colin turned their heads to look startled and curiously at her. When they said nothing, she shrugged and smiled. "So personally, I'd rather stick with insanity. That's far more interesting and entertaining. You can always excuse it by telling that your mind just decided to go to the store for a quart of milk."

The boys, including Logan stared at her, but she just smiled. Finally, Finn exploded in a laugh. "Love, I'm impressed. To combine quotes from Tikkanen, Seneca, Wilde and Northern Exposure in one paragraph is not an easy task," he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the girl standing beside Logan and obviously liking what he saw. "Have we met before, Love?"

"Not in this lifetime, no," Maxie answered, unfazed, shaking her head. "No guarantees for another life so far. At least that would explain why I always had this weakness for Australians. I mean, that's the only logical explanation why I still like Russell Crowe, despite all the crap he had made in the past years." She bent her head to the side. "So what do you think? Maybe we have met in a previous life? Were we related? Lovers? Enemies?"

"Never enemies, Love," Finn immediately denied, sending her his most patented leer, complete with eyebrows-wriggle. "Definitely lovers."

Logan snickered. It had been clear that Finn would go for that option. But he had to say, he was a little impressed by the way Maxie had introduced herself to his friends this evening. She hadn't blinked once at the conversation Finn and Colin had had when they joined them and he knew just how extraordinary that was.

"Why am I not surprised you optioned for that one?" Maxie asked, sighing.

Finn of course wasn't thrown off at all by her comment. "Because you feel it deep down? Say Love, are you by any chance a redhead?"

"Nope, brown through and through," Maxie answered, her soft brown curls flying as she shook her head.

"What a shame," Finn sighed disappointed, his face falling a bit.

Raising an eyebrow, Maxie turned her head to look questioningly at Logan.

"He has this thing for redheads," he explained, putting down the tray and started to hand out the new glasses, sliding the Cassique mixed with coke further down the table. "Just ignore him. Come on, sit down," he told her, indicating to her to slid into the booth before him. With Maxie, he figured, it was best to block the escape routes.

She slid to the back of the booth without hesitation which he took as a good sign. Sliding in behind her, he started to pour the whiskey into the glasses for him and the guys.

"I guess you're Finn, aren't you?" Maxie addressed Finn again.

"I take that my reputation once again preceded me?" Finn asked back, perking up. He sure loved it when other people heard of him before meeting him.

Maxie shrugged. "Sort of. Stooge one and two here mentioned you."

"Oh yeah?" Finn grinned widely, glancing at Logan and Colin.

"Yep. So I take it you've got to be stooge number three," Maxie added.

Finn's grin failing, his eyes flew back to Maxie. "Hey! I'm not a stooge! I'm way too cool for that. Yes, my mates here may be referred to as stooges but certainly not me, Phineas Teverbough"

"I'd rather say none of us is a stooge," Colin spoke up, throwing Maxie a slightly annoyed look that turned into a smile though. "Hey Rory. It's good to see you again. Logan wore you down finally?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sort of. I just figured that the best way to get rid of your lunatic friend is to give in and let him have his two stupid dates."

"And a back massage. Don't forget the massage," Logan reminded her.

"Oh yeah, how could I ever forget that impending torment?" she sighed, making a very convincing face.

"Aww, Maxie, really, don't topple over with enthusiasm here," Logan commented dryly. "It's not as if I don't know exactly how much you want me."

"Of course. As much as I want an STD," she replied sarcastically.

"Oh you, always thinking about the dirty deed, don't you?" Logan immediately followed up, smirking.

She gave him a look and looked at Colin and Finn. "You know, I've heard a rumor that there's actually a line of bimbos waiting breathlessly for Casanova here to notice them. Can you believe that? I mean, have they ever met him? Ever _listened_ to him?"

His green eyes wide, Finn stared at her before he laughed. "Love, I definitely like you. I take this as that you are the famous girl that had the audacity to not sway and fall down at my mate's feet immediately I've heard so much about?"

"Well, I certainly didn't sway nor am I in any danger of falling down at his feet," Maxie answered, scrunching up her nose. "If I'm the girl you've heard about though I don't know. I can't really imagine that I'm the only one not being blinded by the Beach Boy looks."

At that reference, Finn's eyes lit up and he smirked over to Logan. Great. Logan knew that look. And the one in Colin's eyes. They wouldn't let him forget that one for a while to come. But really... the Beach Boys? "Thanks a lot, Maxie," he muttered.

She grinned widely. "My pleasure. But you can be glad I didn't go by Paris' suggestion which would be the fourth Bee Gee."

"Oh God," Finn gasped, swiveling to Colin. "Fourth Bee Gee! Did you hear that? Fourth Bee Gee! That's genius! We've got to remember that!"

Grinning sardonically as well, Colin nodded eagerly. "Definitely. I'd even say it's in the top ten, what do you think?"

"Top ten? Are you crazy? That's at least in the top five!" Finn protested.

"I think my work is done here," Maxie said softly, smiling awfully smugly.

Logan turned his glare from his stupid friends to her. Oh yeah, her work for sure was done here. He'd hear that one probably for a very long time. If not for the rest of his life.

Noticing his glare, her smile deepened. "Still so asinine to insist on that second date? Remember, this is only the beginning of our date. The night's still young. There's plenty of time to feed your friends here some more… suggestions to your persona. Just imagine what harm I can do on two such nights."

Slowly, her hidden agenda for this unanticipated date started to dawn on Logan. So she thought that if she did everything possible to 'scare' away Logan, he might let her out of the rest of their deal? He didn't think so.

Smiling in return he leaned closer to her, his eyes intent on hers. For a small moment he stayed like that, just a bit too close, having invaded her personal space, looking deeply into those incredible deep blue pools of her eyes. Soon, her smile faltered and a faint blush started to raise in her cheeks. Satisfied, Logan leaned back. "Nice try, Maxie, but you won't get out of our little deal so easily," he informed her.

She became slightly annoyed. Apparently she didn't like it much if something didn't go according to her plans. Well, neither did Logan. And he was adamant that he'd win this one.

"A deal I never agreed on," she reminded him, her jaw slightly clenched.

"And yet you are here, sipping a drink on my tab and chatting nicely with my friends, all dressed up for our little date," Logan pointed out. "I take that you finally came to your senses and gave in into your attraction to me."

Maxie opened her mouth, then thought better of it and closed it again, a frown appearing between her eyes. "This is no win-win situation for me, is it?" she asked, sighing deeply.

"Oh Maxie, of course it is a win-win situation," Logan lectured her. "First of all, you'll spend time with me, then you also have the opportunity to spend more time with my friends and we really know how to have the best times of our lives."

"He is right with that last one, Love," Finn nodded.

Her eyes slid to him. "No wonder his ego is so unnaturally big if you continue to boost it like that."

"Well, Love, he made a statement that included my greatness so therefore I had to add my very valuable confirmation of the accuracy of his aforementioned statement," Finn defended himself. "We really know how to have a good time, Love, trust me in that."

"Don't be fooled, Rory," Colin spoke up. "As you can see, Finn's ego isn't much better than Logan's."

"As if yours' any better," Finn interrupted him.

Colin ignored him. "Point is though that I too have to agree with that little fact. You'll have a lot more fun with us than with anyone else."

Maxie looked from one to the other and, thoughtfully, nipped at her drink. Finally, her eyes returned to Logan. "I won't get out of that second date?"

Grinning, Logan shook his head. "And the massage. Don't forget the massage. And nope, not a chance whatsoever."

She held his eyes for a moment longer before she nodded and leaned back. But instead of looking riled up like he expected her to be, she looked rather … content.

"Hmm... do I get at least a say so in when and where that ominous second date will take place? And the environment around it?" Her head fell a little to the side. "After all, we could look at this as sort of a challenge."

"Like in a duel?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly. And as I'm the challenged, I've got choice of weapons," she nodded.

Logan wasn't quite sure what Maxie was after now and the alarm bells rang loudly in his ear again. But then, he loved to live dangerously. And he did have a good portion of healthy curiosity, sometimes even a bit leaning to the dangerous side. Okay, very often actually. And once again, curiosity won. So he slowly nodded. "I guess that's only fair."

"So we have a deal?" Maxie wanted to know.

"Yeah, we've got a deal," Logan nodded."

She looked at Finn and Colin. "And you've witnessed this?"

Finn and Colin exchanged a look, then each with Logan. Logan shrugged. He really had no idea what Maxie was after exactly… but he sure got more and more curious.

"Sure, why not." Finn held up a hand, holding a glass full of whiskey, the other one he laid over his heart. "I hereby swear on the greatness that is this fine brew that I've witnessed you..." he faltered and looked at Maxie. "Uh, what's your name, Love?"

The corner of her mouth twitched. "Rory."

Finn nodded. "You, Rory whatever-is-your-last-name and my mate Logan have made this deal. Content now?"

Maxie nodded, the corner of her mouth having risen quite a bit. "Very, yes. Thanks Finn."

"I always say that one should do whatever he can for a beautiful girl," Finn said with a shrug.

"Back off, Finn. Remember, she's my date," Logan reproached Finn, mildly.

"For now," Finn remarked, wriggling his eyebrows at Maxie.

"Hey, I get first dibs!" Colin protested and smiled at Maxie. "I've met her before you, Finn, right Rory?"

"Uh..." she slowly answered, giving them a strange look before passing their behavior up as irrelevant, her eyes going back to Logan. "So... that other date."

"Yes?" Logan nodded, waiting in anticipation of what she had in mind.

"How about in a week? Thursday? The 29th?" she suggested.

Shit. The annual main event of the Brigade was scheduled then.

Reluctantly, Logan shook his head. "Sorry, Maxie, can't. Already got plans then."

She smiled and nodded. "Exactly. And you're going to take me with you."

Logan frowned. "What?"

Her smile widened and every single hair of Logan immediately stood up in apprehension.

"You're going to take me with you," she repeated, sweetly. "To the main event of the Life and Death Brigade?" she added, one of her eyebrows raising higher.

Entire silence fell over the table.

_What?!?!_

Maxie leaned forward again, putting her elbows on the table, glancing at each of the boys before resting her amused gaze on Logan. "The Life and Death Brigade. Founded 1895. A secret society here at Yale, most of its members are from the most elite families of the East Coast though there also have been a few 'nobodies', so to speak. The members meet regularly at least every two months, sometime in small groups, sometime in bigger parties. There is one main event every year though, always on the 29th of September. I guess it's the founding day anniversary or first big stunt anniversary, I haven't found out the reason for that one yet. For those who know about the club, the Brigade is famous for its crazy, big stunts which are also not always on the safe side. Rumor has it that several extreme sports were born out of those stunts including others from similar groups in Harvard, Princeton and Stanford. Aside from that, the Brigade is also known for its excessive parties and from time to time childish pranks, though from what I've heard, they've yet to streak butt-naked through Yale."

The silence on the table got even louder and Logan stole a glance at his friends. Colin looked as if he was having a heart attack. And even Finn looked a bit pale around the nose as he stared at Maxie, flabbergasted and slightly in shock himself.

No wonder.

How the hell had she found out that much about the Brigade?

Maxie smiled smugly. "You like wearing gorilla masks which is a bit childish, but hey, perhaps after I've found out the reason for that I'll understand that one better. You have a very catchy slogan, I have to say: _In Omnia Paratus_. I really like that one, it has class. Most of the members are rich, living off their trust funds and having very few restrictions so the events are, from what I've heard, always very extraordinary, eccentric." Once again her gaze went from one to the other to finally rest on Logan. "But I guess I'll witness for myself soon, won't I, Logan?"

Very slowly, Logan exchanged a brief glance with Finn and Colin before he smiled at Maxie, hoping it wasn't too shaky or false. "Frankly said I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never heard of this... what did you call it?"

"Life and Death Brigade," she supplied helpfully. "And really? Never heard of it?"

"Nope," Logan denied, shaking his head.

"Huh... strange. And I guess you neither?" she asked, looking at Finn and Colin who both shrugged. "Really very bizarre," Maxie said, looking back at Logan. "See, I have proof that one Elias Huntzberger had been a member. I believe that's your grandfather? Also your father had been a member." She looked over to Colin. "Further more I've found one Malcolm and one Michael McCrae among the members, who I think might be your father and grandfather." She shook her head. "Too bad, really. I thought as the membership apparently often is passed down to the next generation you for sure are in it. You certainly also fit the profile even if you hadn't already the right family name. Not to mention that the three of you tend to disappear for a couple of days sometime, just at the same time many other high society students disappear. Like in the last couple of days?"

"Sorry," Logan managed to strangle out, shaking his head again.

Even though he was starting to believe that any denial really wouldn't make sense anymore. He had no idea from where Maxie had gotten all those information but hell, she sure knew a lot. Way too much. Could it be that Richard Gilmore had talked? But no, he knew the rules. Even if she was his granddaughter, he wouldn't have told her all that.

"Oh well, no problem," Maxie waved it away. "I guess I just have to do the article without your help then."

_WHAT?!?!?!?!_

"What article?" he chocked out, instant worry and hell, panic starting to seep in.

Article? _Article?_

"The article I'm doing for the YDN about the Life and Death Brigade," Maxie answered evenly.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!!!

"Article?" Colin screeched in a strangled, high pitched voice. "You can't do an article on the Brigade," he blurted out and huffed when both, Logan's foot connected with his knee as Finn's elbow rammed into his side.

Shit, Logan thought frankly. Colin had just more or less admitted that they were in the LDB. But then, frankly said, he doubted if this had worsened the situation. Maxie had them, that much was clear.

Maxie laughed quietly. "Sorry Colin, but yes, I _can_ do an article and I _will_ write it." Her eyes met with Logan, calm determination evident in them. "But there are two ways I can do this. One, I'll work with what I have, which is plenty, and bring it out like that, complete with names and facts. There had been a few articles here and there about the Brigade in the past, though never something concrete. Which is just in the Brigade's favor I believe. After all, from what I've heard, the Brigade got into some trouble with the police with its stunts and pranks and some of those cases are still open and consequences are a very likely possibility."

"That's what you say, Love. You know what I think? I think you don't really have that much," Finn slowly said after another moment of heavy silence, his eyes narrowed on her.

Maxie's eyes stayed on Logan. "Do you think that also, Huntzberger?"

Logan held her gaze and finally shook his head reluctantly, sitting a bit straighter. No... no, he didn't think Maxie was bluffing. She had proven that she knew a lot already. Perhaps not that much more as she wanted them to believe but surely enough to enable her to write a solid article.

Double damn!

Maxie nodded and glanced at Finn. "You drive a black SUV, don't you? License plate F..."

"Okay, okay," Finn interrupted her and looked at Colin, then over at Logan. "Logan, mate?" he asked quietly.

Logan wasn't surprised that Finn had just laid the decision into his hands. He was a Huntzberger after all. Journalism was his forte. And he was the one who had brought Maxie into the equation in the first place. Putting his elbows on the table as well, he leaned forward, not letting the highly contented girl out of his eyes. "You mentioned another way to do your article? I'm interested to hear your idea," he asked casually, though he had an idea what she was after.

"So you're admitting that you're in it?" she wanted to know, her eyes going back to him.

He smiled and shrugged. He wouldn't make it that easy for her. "Just professional interest."

"Oh sure..." Maxie drawled, smile still firm in place and still deepening. "While the first way would be fun, I think it would be so much more interesting and unique if I do the article from an inside view. You take me to the event so I can see for myself how you guys party. And I also want interviews with actual members. I will write the article from personal experience and I agree to keep my sources anonymous and this way, the Brigade can keep its integrity as a secret club."

Hmm... it was more or less what Logan had expected, so he wasn't really surprised at her suggestion. Clearly though, he definitely had underestimated this girl. Sure, he had known that she was a good reporter - but he had never believed that she was that dedicated to the job. Which really left them with few options.

Slowly, Logan nodded. "Not a bad idea. Of course this whole idea is based on the notion that we are indeed members of this Brigade… and then willing to take you along."

Her smile turned nasty. "Ah, but Logan, you said so yourself: second date, my choice, my conditions." She waved at Finn and Colin. "With witnesses. Now, of course you could back out of that one. Which would mean though that I not only get to keep my desk without further pestering from you, but also that you chickened out and turned down a challenge. And correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one who said he can't resist a challenge?"

Logan frowned. Damn. Maxie sure knew how to tempt him.

"Besides... Isn't the whole idea of the Life and Death Brigade to live dangerously? To risk something? To do something new?" she asked, her gaze shifting over the three boys. "I'm aware that my article is a risk. But it also is a prime opportunity for the Brigade. I'm good, Logan, you know that. And you can trust me. If we make this deal, I'm going to bend to the Brigade's rules, at least to a certain point and won't break my word."

Oh yeah, she really knew what to say. Sighing, Logan exchanged a brief look with his friends before turning back to Maxie. "Okay Maxie. I guess there's not much sense in denying our membership any longer, is there?" he asked, dropping any sort of pretense.

"No," she simply answered.

Someday, he really needed to find out how she found out all this about the Brigade. But not right now. He nodded. "Good. Then let's talk straight here. Fact is, I can't just take you to the event. We have rules, Maxie, and the first rule is no non-members, especially when they are reporters. And whatever you may believe, none of us have the power to just override this, take you with us and let you do this article." He stopped for a moment, checking to see if Maxie understood that. When she nodded, he continued. "However, considering your alternative, we can talk with the others and see if they are willing to make an exception for us."

"That's fair," Maxie answered with a short nod.

"But there are no promises," Logan reminded her and then took a deep breath. "However, there is another possibility." He felt Finn and Colin's eyes on him at these words, but he ignored them. He needed to focus on Maxie right now.

"And that would be?" Maxie wanted to know, her curiosity clearly peeked.

"You become a member," Logan offered her.

"Uh Logan..." Colin warily spoke up, sitting up.

"Later, Colin," Logan cut him short, his eyes not looking away from Maxie's. He knew what he was doing.

"A member?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes. You'd fit in, Maxie. Well, you'd have to get over your prejudices..."

"_My prejudices_?" she protested incredulously.

Logan smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Your prejudices against rich people, because like you've said, most of us are rich. But otherwise, you'd fit in well… and you will find out a lot of things which will be proof of that. Not to forget your little blackmail here."

"Blackmail is such an ugly word," Maxie interrupted him. "And I have nothing against rich people."

Now, Logan laughed. "Oh yeah? Have you ever heard yourself talk? I can't count all the not so nice comments you've sent my way for being rich. And, baby, if it sounds like blackmail, looks like blackmail and smells like blackmail, then there's a fairly high chance that it _is_ blackmail."

"Well, you're annoying," Maxie grumbled, giving him a look. "That doesn't mean I'm prejudiced." Her eyes narrowed. "And I believe I already mentioned before how much I detest being called 'baby'."

Logan shook his head. "Your various comments about the rich and privileged weren't solely addressed to me though so you _do_ have issues with high society but let's get back to what we were talking about… you joining the Brigade."

For a while, Maxie said nothing, just holding his eyes, pensive. Finally, she sat forward. "I admit that the offer is tempting."

"I know. You found out a lot things already and so you know that it's highly possible that you'll have a lot of fun and memories for the rest of your life," Logan told her. "And it's an honor, believe me. Despite what you think, you don't just get in because your father or grandfather already have been in it or are alumni of the LDB. Otherwise, you'd be already in, _Rory_."

Her eyes widened slightly and contentedly, Logan smiled. Yeah. Let her know that her grandfather was one of those alumni. He was pretty sure that this little information should make it harder for her to write the article disclosing everything about the Life and Death Brigade and everybody connected to it. After all, it could be that Richard could also get into trouble then.

"So, what do you say?"

Maxie waited a beat before she answered in which she studied his eyes. "I suppose that if I agree I automatically have to bend to the Brigade's rules, like, hmm, absolute secrecy?" She shook her head. "Do you really think I'm so stupid and that easily fooled, Logan? Boy, you've got still a lot to learn, Huntzberger. I'm not one of your blond bimbos."

No, apparently not, Logan thought darkly.

Finn chuckled. "Jeez, mate, our Love here sure has you tagged and hooked." He looked intensively at Maxie. "Boy! Girl, let me tell you, you're one hell of a girl. Where have you hidden yourself all this time?"

"Oh, I've been around," Maxie answered with a shrug, blushing a little, before focusing back to Logan. "So no, Logan, I think I'll pass and we'll do it my way. I'm sure, you, with your golden tongue and charming personality, will find a way to convince your fellow members to let me come. Besides... if I understand the Brigade correctly, then they may still offer me their membership, after they've seen that I've held my word and wrote a good article about you guys." She looked at Finn and Colin. "Right?"

"Dunno, but you'd sure have my vote, Love," Finn laughed.

Colin just nodded grudgingly.

"That's what I've thought," Maxie said, satisfied, and turned back to Logan. "So we have a date?" she asked, smug as hell.

Logan narrowed his eyes. He knew that he had no other choice but to agree. Knew that he had been thoroughly fooled and tricked. By a girl. A Gilmore. Part of him was impressed. He had known that Maxie was something else, but he wouldn't have given her quite that. But right now, most of all, he was annoyed. Because she had tricked him. Blackmailed him. Cornered him.

He didn't like to be cornered.

"We have a date," he glowered.

Her blue eyes twinkled. "Jeez, that must have been hard, Huntzberger. You're not used to losing, are you?"

"Usually I win," Logan replied, still not too happy.

"He's always been a sore loser though," Colin sighed and earned himself a glare from Logan.

"I can imagine," Maxie nodded and glanced at her watch. "Well, I think my work here is done."

"But you just only arrived!" Finn protested.

"It's been almost an hour," she contradicted and glanced at Logan. "Besides, I think my presence here is no longer very much appreciated at the moment."

Logan frowned and shook his head. "Oh no, Maxie. If I remember correctly, and I do, you said that this is our first date. A date usually goes longer than barely an hour."

"Sure it does, unless it sucks," she nodded and smiled. "Not to mention that we've never agreed on a minimum time span."

"Maxie, Maxie, Maxie..." Logan sighed in mock disappointment. "Just because you've successfully conned me, and I do have to give you credit for that, doesn't mean that this date sucks. If anything, it made tonight fairly interesting and unexpectedly surprising. And the least you owe me for your false pretenses and your trickery is that I get to say when tonight's date is over."

Her eyes narrowed. "If you think you'll get lucky tonight, Huntzberger, you better not deal with any stocks or you'll lose all your fortune, as misjudging as you are."

"That's what I have Colin for, so you don't have to worry, Maxie, my fortunes are safe. You still can be after my money," he smoothly replied.

"Ugh, don't tell me that you're starting with your stupid hallucinations again," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"What hallucination? Let's recap, huh? First, you show up at my house, then at the YDN, next you follow me all the way out to Hartford to the club and don't start to tell me you just went there to golf. Remember, I've seen you play or rather said try to play," he intercepted her when he saw her mouth opening in protest. "And now, you've even followed me here to this bar, just to beg me for a date. Why deny it any longer? I really don't mind you stalking me. Actually, I'm quite delighted about it."

Maxie opened her mouth, thought otherwise and closed it again to instead take a big gulp of her drink.

"Wait a minute… club?" Finn asked, frowning at Logan and Maxie. "Hartford? Golf? Club? As in the Hartford Country Club?"

"You know any other club there where you can play golf?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But..." Finn started and stopped, looking incredulous at Maxie, his eyes narrowed. "You weren't there to waiter by any chance, Love, were you?"

Bewildered, Maxie shook her head. "No. Nor did I follow Hugh here. Or went there to golf. Of course not," she clarified, glaring at Logan. "I just went to go meet my grandpa for lunch there, talk a little."

Finn's eyes widened further in shock. "So you _are_ one of us!" he exclaimed, accusing. "I always know when I have another blue blood in front of me!" His eyes narrowed. "How come I didn't get any vibe from you, Love? How could you deceive me like that?"

"Uh... sorry?" Maxie apologized unsurely. "But really Finn. You're wrong. I am most certainly not one of you."

Logan snorted and immediately got a glare for that.

"I am not," she repeated, heatedly. "It doesn't matter who my grandparents are. I'm a small town girl and have worked my ass off to get into an Ivy League school. I don't live off a trust fund, I've yet to wear designer clothes and pearls and I'm here to study, not to party and trust that my family name and Daddy's money will get me to graduate."

Logan's eyes gentled. Boy, apparently, that was a real sore spot with her. "And you say you're not prejudiced," he teased slightly and shook his head, leaning forward to look squarely into her eyes. "Maybe not. But you go every first Saturday to the club to have lunch with your grandfather. And yeah, you might have worked hard to get into Yale, but your grandparents are still paying for it, don't they? You've went to Chilton, an excellent and very expensive prep school and I bet your grandparents paid for that one as well. You drive an expensive car that might not be flashy but for sure had cost a small fortune. You live in a two bedroom suite and that in your second year which means that strings has been pulled to get you that suite in Branford, ground floor might I add. And," he added, starting to grin, "correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you even come out in 2001?"

Her eyes narrowed. "How did you find out about that one?"

"A debutante? You're a freaking debutante?" Finn gasped, looking wounded at Maxie.

She shrugged. "It was a spur of the moment thing and most of all, a favor for grandma. It means nothing," she emphasized, eyes on Logan.

It was his turn to shrug. "It means that you've been officially introduced into Hartford's high society. It means that if you want to face it or not, you have at least ties to our world and are not really so much different from us."

"Logan, I grew up in a hotel not in the penthouse suite but in the maid quarters. And you really want to tell me that our lives are not that different?" Maxie seriously asked.

Logan frowned a bit. He hadn't known about that one as he hadn't bothered to go that far back when he had done a little bit of research about one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. He had just assumed that when her mother had left her parent's house that they had moved directly to that small town she still lived in.

"Okay, that's it," Finn said, frowning deeply in his bafflement, focused on Maxie. "Just who exactly are you, Love?"

Before Maxie could answer, Colin slowly spoke. "You're the Gilmore girl aren't you? The granddaughter of Richard and Emily Gilmore?"

Maxie nodded. "Yes, but why so surprised?" Her eyes slid to Logan. "Didn't Logan mention it to you?"

"No. No, he hasn't," Colin replied, giving Logan a look.

Logan would probably hear about that one afterwards. Thing was that after their chance meeting in the club and Logan had finally found out his Maxie's true identity, he wasn't in any hurry to tell his friends about his discoveries. Finn hadn't met Maxie yet and Colin had already teased Logan enough with Maxie. He didn't want to know what would happen if his best friends found out that the girl who had captured his interest so much was none other than the granddaughter of the Gilmore's and his parents had been so keen for him to meet her. He'd never hear the end of it. Of course now, with Maxie's little stunt, all his careful secrecy had been shot to hell. And now he definitely would hear about this the rest of his life, not only the fact that he actually was really attracted to a society girl, but also how she had conned him.

He sighed. "Thanks Maxie... thanks a lot."

She looked from him to Colin and the wicked, dangerous gleam in his dark eyes and she started to smile, connecting the dots. "My pleasure, Logan, entirely my pleasure." She turned to his friends. "Do me a favor? Tease and mock him mercilessly for at least a few weeks to come."

"Oh, don't worry, Love, no problem with that," Finn assured her, his eyes gleaming wickedly as well as he looked at Logan. "And I can say it won't be weeks but months."

"Years," Colin nodded, his grin plain dirty.

See? He had known it!

"Don't you two have something else to do? A redhead to chase? Another girl to score?" Logan growled, sending his friends a death glare.

"Uh no, no I think I'll have way more fun here right now, watching you squirm," Finn denied, shaking his head, the wickedness in his eyes intensifying.

"Yeah. We can't possibly miss on such a prime opportunity," Colin refused to go, too.

"Guys, I'm on a date here, remember? That's supposed to be two, not four people," Logan pointed out, his eyes hard on his friends. "So get lost."

"But whatever happened to the group thing, Logan?" Maxie innocently spoke up.

"Yes, mate, what happened to the group thing?" Finn immediately repeated, bating his eyes at Logan, causing Maxie to laugh loudly.

Finn momentarily forgotten, his eyes were drawn to the laughing girl. Sure, he had heard her laugh before. Usually though in a rather sarcastic, snorting way. Or perhaps a little unbelieving. Never a simple laugh out of true amusement.

It was beautiful.

"Changed my mind," he told her quietly, never letting go of her eyes, sparkling with laughter as well.

There must have been something in his voice or tone because her laughter ebbed away, leaving her blushing and looking away after a long moment. Oh yeah, he definitely wanted to be alone with her for a little while. Alone, not just without Finn and Colin. Besides, the way he knew his best friends, they wouldn't go away anytime soon.

"Hey, what about a little walk, Maxie? Fresh air and we can talk about the 29th," he suggested. "And if you really want or need to get home I can bring you back to your dorm," he added when he saw her hesitating.

She raised an eyebrow. "I can get back on my own just perfectly."

Logan shook his head. "This is a date, remember? How would it look if I let my date go home alone? Besides, it's dark already outside. You're not going back alone anyway," he told her, firmly.

Her eyes met him again, looking slightly surprised.

"So... want to come now?" Logan asked, softly.

She held his eyes for a moment longer before she broke their eye contact by taking her drink and quickly emptying it. With a nod, she put her glass back down. "Okay, let's go."

"Aww, Love, that's no fun!" Finn protested, turning his puppy eyes onto her.

Maxie smiled. "Sorry Finn, but I really have to go. Classes tomorrow, remember?"

"Now that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Finn stated, looking at her in bewilderment.

"For you perhaps," Maxie chuckled. "It's been fascinating to meet you, Phineas Teverbough. I'll look forward to see you at the event. And I promise then, I'll stay to the bitter end."

"You better, Love, but there's nothing bitter in it, trust me," Finn assured her and his eyes met hers. "And Love? Right back at you. I count on seeing a lot more of you from now on. You're too much fun to not have around."

Again, there was this beautiful simple, natural laugh of hers. "Thanks, I think."

"Bye Rory," Colin nodded as well, his eyes sliding to Logan. "You coming back later?" he asked and his eyes warned him to better come back. They needed to talk.

Logan just gave a slow nod as he held out Maxie's jacket to her so she could slip in.

"Bye Colin," Maxie nodded and finally, Logan managed to steer her away from his friends and out of the pub.

Finally alone.

He turned left, choosing a way over the campus that would take them a bit longer than if he had turned right and could have headed straight back to her dorm. When she followed him without any protest, he took it as a good sign. Silently, they walked over the rather quiet campus. Then again, the way he had chosen did led through the more quiet parts of Yale, at least at night.

"Considering the way you usually never shut up you're awfully quiet, Huntzberger," Maxie interrupted the silence at last after a few minutes, her eyes on him. "You okay?"

He glanced at her. "Just thinking."

"Ah, deep thoughts then. Anything that will change the world the way we know it?" she asked.

Logan smiled and shrugged. "You tell me. I was thinking about you," he told her, truthfully.

"Little ol' me?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded and stopped, turning to her. "You tricked me, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Yeah, perhaps. But don't forget that you started it, Huntzberger. You were the one who insisted on completely irrational dates over a desk that really belonged to no one," she reminded him. "You can't blame me if I turn your game against you."

"I didn't say I blame you. Just that you conned me and believe me, Maxie, not many can say that about themselves," Logan clarified and snickered.

Maxie shook her head. "You know, I'm slightly disturbed that I actually believe you about that one."

"Well, you should. It's the simple truth. Usually, I'm the one who tricks and cons," Logan told her. "I've underestimated you."

"Yeah, you did. You should never underestimate a Gilmore. And I've learned from the best," Maxie simply said.

"I'll remember that so I won't make that mistake again," Logan promised, his eyes on her, curious. "And who've you learned from? Richard?"

"Grandpa? No... The true master is grandma. No one manipulates, blackmails and avenges like her. And Mom learned from her also, plus she's a little crazy, so she's a master as well. Grandpa and I are simple bystanders." She laughed quietly. "But it's enough for an arrogant Huntzberger who thinks the world revolves around him and that he's invincible."

"Wow, that's quite a big opinion you have about me," Logan smirked. "I'm touched."

"I have a question," Maxie announced.

One of his eyebrows rising, Logan waved at her. "Shoot."

"How come a smart guy like you is so stupid to think that this whole haughty arrogance really works in his favor?" she asked, her head dipping to the side a little, her eyes narrowed.

Amused, he chuckled. "Because it does? And who said I'm smart?"

"You're not the only one who did a little research, Logan," Maxie replied, rolling her eyes. "You're in the top ten per cent of your year and I really wonder how you manage that, considering that you almost never attend your classes, not to mention that you took a break for a year. The classes you did take are all above average. And no one takes Philosophy and German Literature on his own free will if he isn't really interested in those subjects and stupid people seldom are interested in such classes, let alone take them and be on top of the class." She shook her head in annoyance. "Another proof that there actually is a brain, and an excellent one at that, between your ears. And there are your articles. You're a talented writer and that interview with Professor Weiszman was simply fantastic and seeing as you were there whenever I turned around, I know just how little time you actually did put into that article. If you'd take school seriously you could probably easily graduate as the best of your year... but instead, you loaf around and like to throw out cheesy lines that are beneath you, not that the girls you surround yourself with would notice that. Why?"

They had resumed their walking and for a long while, Logan didn't answer. He never had to answer such a question before. Few people ever acknowledged that he was smart, not that he showed it that often. In fact, he was pretty shocked that Maxie had gotten so perceptive, especially in such a short time. Finn and Colin knew of course, as well as some of his old friends but they knew his reason to act as he did well enough, their reason not any different than his. His family never took notice of anything than his mistakes and the girls he dated... well, like Maxie had said, they hardly looked for intelligence in him.

Finally, he sighed and turned his head to look at her, his steps slowing down. "My path is set, Maxie. You know who I am, you know who I'm going to be." He looked away, wondering why he had even bothered to say anything, let alone the truth. "I'm going to be the CEO of the biggest and most important media corporation this country has and that's that. I don't need excellent grades or a diploma, I'll never need it." He shrugged, bitterly. "My articles will be printed, no matter what, because hey, I own the paper that prints it. Yeah, I'm smart. And yeah, I like to read and be well informed but I don't need to let people know about that." Abruptly, he stopped again to look into her eyes. "You want to know why I rather party than go to classes? I'll tell you why… as soon as I graduate, I'm forced into a job and business I never had the chance to choose on my own and then, my freedom will be pretty much over. It's limited as it is, but college still is the only time in my life I am free to do what_ I_ want."

"So you party," she summarized quietly.

Logan shrugged. "Yeah. I party. I live. You've been on my parent's party, Maxie. Did you have fun there?" He didn't wait for her answer. "And you see how your grandparents live. Do they look to you as if they have much fun?" Again, he didn't wait for her reply. "No, I bet not. But that's how adult life is in our world, Maxie. I don't want it, I'd do everything I could to avoid that fate but I doubt there is anything I can do. That is the way it's been for the past few centuries and while I do believe that my generation has it in its power to change the rules and break the stiffness up at least a little bit, I don't expect to have much fun and time to really live once my life as the media mogul starts. So I take what I can now and hope that it's enough to last me for the rest of my life."

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, silent.

Shaking his head, he turned away from her and started to walk again. Just what devil had rode him to tell her all that? She didn't even like him that much and he told her things he never had worded before.

"And that also explains the Life and Death Brigade, doesn't it? That's why most of your members are the rich kids. You all feel the same, faced with such a future… so you bend your limits as much as you can, take all those risks with your dangerous stunts," Maxie asked softly. "That's it, isn't it? Find limits and break those boundaries as much as you can."

Startled, he turned back to her, seeing that she hadn't moved at all, staring intently. Breathing deeply, he slowly nodded. One could word it like that.

"I see," she said quietly.

"I very much doubt that," Logan contradicted her, softly. "Like you said, you haven't had the same life as we had. You have a choice. Otherwise you'd study business management and not journalism."

"Maybe. But perhaps I wouldn't have that choice if Mom hadn't broken out of this world. She could have married Dad like my grandparents wanted them to, with Dad starting in Grandpa's firm and Mom... staying home with me I guess. Or she could have had the abortion Dad's parents wanted her to have and continue the family plan to go to college and later marry a suitable guy my grandparents would have approved of. But she didn't and I begin to see just what a favor she did me with her decision. She always said that living with my grandparents had cut off her air, making it impossible for her to breathe. I never quite understood it." Slowly, she moved forward to come to a stand in front of him, looking up at him, and slight astonishment on her face. "Until now."

"Yeah, you've been lucky," Logan whispered.

"You could do what Mom did, Logan. You could break away if you really want to. It would be hard, yeah, very hard. But it _is_ a choice, Logan," she said softly.

"Could I?" he asked and smiled sadly, shaking his head. "There's just one problem, Maxie. I do want to be in the news business. I love it. The thrill of it, the novelty of it, the people I have a chance to meet in that business. But I'm a Huntzberger. Another paper would be crazy to hire me. Or if they do, then you can be sure it's because it's a favor for my father - or the payback of a favor. I know my choices, Rory. I had twenty-two years to learn them and come to terms with them."

She held his eyes a moment longer before she looked away, nodding and moved past him, forward. "Okay, that might be a problem. Hardly though for a guy like you, isn't it? After all, the world lies to your feet."

Logan blinked. Had she just given him an opening to change back to his arrogant, haughty side she 'loved' so much about him? Well, he'd' more than love to take her on. Snickering, he fell back into steps with her. "Nice to see that you finally came to your senses and accepted the truth, Maxie," he said dryly.

"Oh, I just figured it's easier to let you believe in your hallucination. Arguing with you about it is a waste of my breath anyway, seeing as you turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the fact that you aren't the king of the world," she countered, shrugging.

"You just tell that yourself so you don't have to admit the truth," Logan though contradicted her.

"See? My point exactly," she pointed out, giving him a look.

"You don't give up that easily, do you, Maxie," Logan asked, smiling.

One of her eyebrows shot up. "Do you?"

"Touché," Logan laughed and looked at her. "Tell me one thing, Gilmore… how the hell did you find out that much about the Brigade?"

"Oh, you'd like to know that, don't you?" she asked, grinning.

"You bet I do. After all, if there is a leak we need to plug it," Logan nodded.

She gazed at him, her eyes twinkling. "Actually, it was you."

"What?" he sputtered, incredulous. "I never even breathed a word about the Brigade to you."

"No, you didn't. But for two days, you suddenly were gone. Normally I probably wouldn't have noticed but first, you made it a point to be simply everywhere where I showed up regularly and to then annoy the hell out of me. The sudden blissful peace was noticeable," she sighed, dreamily.

"Aww, missed me much, did you, Maxie?" he grinned, knuffing her lightly into the side. Then he frowned. "What has that got to do with the LDB… I don't know though."

"Simple… I wondered where you were. Then Doyle had some new information for your article about the new grading system and seeing as you're always on me like mold on an old tree he sent me to give it to you, under my deepest protests that simply got ignored. I went to your dorm, the first time I tried there was no one there; the second time was in the evening and your roommate told me that you and the other Brigadiers were away for the night," she explained.

Logan cursed forcefully. "Lanny and his big mouth."

"It's not just his fault. I was puzzled by the reference to the Brigadiers but if I hadn't seen a girl in a ball gown and a gorilla mask in the girls' restroom at your dorm, shushing at me, and then climbing into a SUV yelling 'In Omnia Paratus' and the car apparently full with people looking as if they were headed for the prom, yours and Colin's voice clearly among the people in the car, I hardly would have thought much more about it." She shrugged. "That though was a bit strange, strange enough for my nose to twitch like it does when I have a good story. The rest was easy. Working through the archive of the YDN, a little research in the internet and finally, talking to a few people and have a look at the attendance lists to verify a few dates. It's called research. Even you as the big newsman you say you are should be familiar with that term."

"Ah, that it's called," Logan drawled, relieved though that they didn't have a leak. They just needed to be a lot more careful. Damn Steph for forgetting her purse and convincing them to come back for it. And they shouldn't have let her leave the car with the gorilla mask on. But hell, who'd have thought that such a persistent little reporter would be lurking around? Then though, he grew serious again. "Still... not many would have made the connections from a remark and a strange sight that could easily be written off as drunken embarrassing behavior to a secret society. Not to mention that even fewer would take upon all the work to go through the entire archive of the YDN and then do interviews. And how the hell did you get a look at the attendance lists?" he wanted to know with a frown.

"You're not the only one who knows people, Huntzberger. I have my sources as well," she just told him, evading, not giving him a straight answer.

"Obviously..." Logan grumbled, letting her off the hook for the time being. "Well, good job, Gilmore… I hope you don't mind if I'm not all that happy about your reporter skills."

"Nope, not at all. I take it as a compliment," she replied, grinning widely.

"You do that," he sighed and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. "You know, if you continue to be as good, I think I definitely have to hire you, once you graduate."

"You're offering me a job?" she laughed.

He slowly nodded. Yeah, actually, he thought he was just doing that. He had already known that she was good. This showed him that she wasn't just good, she was very good. Exceptionally good. "If you keep up the good work or even get better, yeah... yeah, I think you can await a job offer from the Huntzberger Media Group on your last year."

She stopped, her eyes going wide. "You're serious!"

Logan shrugged, having to smile at her disbelief. "Hey, I never joke when it's about business. Besides, Dad always preaches that the best way to get good new reporters is to keep an eye on them from early on and hire them right off college. I may not always agree with him but he did build up the business to be one of the best in the country. Just don't tell him that I actually have listened to him once in a while, okay? He'd never survive the shock."

"I'm hardly on a speaking terms with your father," Maxie slowly said, still frowning. "So I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"One can never know. After all, Richard and Emily made sure that you are known to my parents. I bet not for long and you'll find yourself meeting at least one of them again, soon," Logan told her.

She made a face. "God, I hope not. It's been bad enough already how they force me to meet people."

Logan smiled sympathetically. "You better get used to it, Maxie. That's how it works in these circles. We may be able to escape one party here, another lunch there… but ultimately, they'll corner us. I'm just surprised you escaped your grandparents set ups with other kids before."

"Could be that disastrous first time grandma had tried that one," Maxie said, thoughtfully.

Interested, Logan glanced at her. "Yeah? What happened?"

"It's been for my sixteenth birthday. I had just started at Chilton and had yet to meet even one student I even remotely liked. Most ignored me, others openly hated me like Paris and then there was that annoying boy who wouldn't stop calling me Mary." She stopped to give him a meaningful look. "You don't happen to have a Siamese twin, do you? 'Cause really, it would fit. Both blond, both Casanovas, both arrogant as hell, both richer than it should be allowed, both with a little hang-up to do pranks and both of you so damn annoying and not learning that I don't appreciate to be called anything else than my name. Oh yeah, if you weren't two years older than him I'd swear you're twins."

"Sorry, Maxie, just an older sister, no brother, let alone a twin," Logan shook his head, laughing. "And Maxie, I assure you, I'd never have been so stupid to call you Mary. That's way below me and indeed stupid from that boy, however much of a Mary you must have been."

"Of course you also know what Mary means," she mumbled.

"Well, I was on high school as well after all. Mary and Magdalene are universal," Logan simply replied. "And did that boy also have a name? Maybe I know him."

"Probably," she muttered. "And it's Tristan DuGrey. If he isn't a twin, perhaps he's a cousin of yours. That would really explain a lot."

"Sorry, no. My family is pretty big but DuGrey and I are certainly not relatives. I doubt I've ever met him, but I had the misfortune of meeting his parents. Very unpleasant people," he remember, making a face. "If their son is anything like them I'm not surprised that you didn't like him. Uh, didn't he end up in a military school in Albuquerque?"

"Yeah. Well, I don't know if it's really Albuquerque but yeah, they've sent him away in the second year." She frowned. "If you didn't know him, how come you know about that."

"Because every father in Hartford threatened their sons the following month to better behave or he'll end up as DuGrey's roommate faster than he could say Albuquerque," Logan explained, cringing a little when he remembered his turn to get to hear that one from his father. It had been the first time he actually had worried that he'd really be sent to military school - despite the fact that he just started at Yale. There was always West Point after all. "But you were telling me about your sixteenth birthday," he reminded her, not too keen to remain in his own past.

"Uh, right. Well, Grandma went and invited all my Chilton classmates to a party she organized for my birthday, without asking me first, of course. I was shocked but I played along anyway... big mistake. The party sucked. It was terrible. And when I could not bear it anymore, I made a scene, right in the middle of the stiff, boring party, screaming for the first time at my grandmother, publicly, at the party she planned for me." She smirked. "God, she was _mad_."

Logan laughed loudly. "I can imagine. She probably feared that you'll throw another tantrum. Now though she thinks you've matured enough to know better."

"That and before, Mom always got me out of such things, unless I talked her into not getting me out of situations… like when Grandma had suggested that I have a debutante ball to come out." She crunched up her nose. "Now though, my grandparents loaned me the money for school and Mom did not do the loan anymore so now they can pretty much demand my attendance at any of those stupid gatherings and there's little I can do about it. And usually they only tell me when it's too late for Mom to have a chance to excuse me from attending… like with the party of your parents. I get there for my usual Friday night dinner with them and next thing I know we're in the car and driving to that mausoleum."

"Oh yeah, they are good," Logan confirmed, chuckling.

"Yeah. But with every time they trick me I learn a bit more as well… there will come a point when they won't be able to corner me like that again," she told him, wagging a finger.

"Yeah? When? 'Cause if you really manage to do that, you've got to tell me how. I've been trying to dodge my parent's set-ups all my life and while I usually succeed, they still get the better of me once in a while," Logan sarcastically pleaded.

"Hmm, we'll see. If you're a good boy and stop annoying the hell out of me and act more like the actual decent guy you can be when you want to be instead of an arrogant and snobbish pest of a guy like you usually are then I might let you in into the secret," she offered him, looking straight at him.

He shook his head. "I'm torn between being offended and being elated by the compliment from you, which should be impossible, considering our past."

"A little tip… take it as a compliment and a hint to let that decent guy out more," she told him and stopped. "Well, thanks for escorting me home, Logan. It has been surprisingly interesting and painless."

Startled, Logan looked up. Indeed, they were standing in the hallway of the Branford house. Shit. He had just enjoyed himself better than he had in a long time. What a shame. He inclined his head a little. "No problem. Come on, I'll bring you to your door."

"Seeing that we can see my door I hardly doubt that's necessary," she answered dryly.

Logan simpered, "But Mommy taught me to always be a gentleman and a gentleman brings his date to the door," and steered her towards her dorm.

"Ah... and did she also teach you to blackmail girls for dates in the first place?" Maxie asked mockingly.

"Well, a guy has to be original. As long as it works... besides, you're one to talk about blackmail," Logan accused her, winking at her.

"A girl does what a girl has to do," she simply said and turned to him, her keys in her hand. "Well, now that you've safely escorted me to my door, I think it's okay for you to get back to your friends now."

"Aww Maxie, I'm hurt. I'm not even by your door yet and already, you throw me out?" Logan asked, making a dejected face or at least tried to. It's not like he had much experience with it.

"Oh, save it, Huntzberger. That's the worst pout I've ever seen and it surely won't work with me. Not to mention that I've never invited you in," Maxie though replied, unfazed.

"No?" he asked sadly, stepping closer to her.

"But Mr. Huntzberger, what are you thinking of me?" Maxie exclaimed, making a shocked face. "On our first date? I'm not that kind of a girl! I'm a decent girl, me, I am!"

Laughing, Logan shook his head and took a step back. "Okay, okay, you're the better actress, at least for tonight. But you've got to admit that this had been an interesting date."

"Perhaps," she smiled softly and turned, unlocking her door. "'Night Logan. And have fun in trying to explain to your fellow Brigadiers why you're bringing a reporter to your next event," she added smugly and before he could say anything in return, she vanished inside, the door closing firmly behind her and he heard the lock sliding in place again.

Laughing quietly, Logan turned and started to walk back towards the pub.

Boy, that Maxie was really something else. He actually hoped that the other Brigadiers wouldn't cause any problems. Because he really wanted her to come to the event and even better… as his date.

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's note: Of course I haven't forgotten about that one! Never! And I know that the chapters are coming slow, but hey, I first have to figure out how I want things to go in this little AU world… I hope you liked this version of how she got Logan to take her to the LDB event with him – and the final show-up of Finn and Colin! Thanks all those who keep nagging me about a new chapter. I'll try to bring out the next chapter sooner than this one. Again though: no guarantees.)_


	5. Sweet Devil Virgin

**Chapter 5: Sweet Devil Virgin**

As it turned out the Brigadiers were easily convinced. Well, perhaps not that easily, but it hadn't been as hard as he had originally feared. The rest had been child's play. He had informed Maxie that their 'date' was a go and that had been the last he had seen of her as he had been too occupied with the preparations for the event.

He and his friends were determined to make this the best event the Brigade had ever done and to reach that goal there was a lot to do. But everything was ready now and it was time to head out. Finn and Colin were already waiting in the car and the only ones missing were Logan and Maxie. Not that Maxie had any idea that it was time, he thought with amusement, watching her from the doorway of the newsroom for a moment. Sitting by his desk, deeply engrossed in whatever she was writing. He wondered if it was already a preliminary draft of the LDB article or if it was something else. Well, she'd have to postpone finishing that one later; he smirked mentally and pushed himself away from the doorframe to go over to her.

She didn't see him coming. All the better. Stopping behind her, he leaned down, entrapping her with his hands firmly set on the desk, his body pressing onto her back. He felt her get startled and tense up, and with a grin, he stroked back some of her hair away from her ear with his nose before whispering into it. "Time to get rolling, Maxie."

Her head jerked, she leaned back as much that was possible since she was still being trapped by Logan. "Jeez, Huntzberger, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she scowled.

His grin widened. "Come on, the clock's ticking. Grab your bag, save your work, get up."

Finally, his words seemed to dawn on her as she looked at him incredulously. "Wait, we're leaving _now_?"

"I always knew you were smart," Logan mocked and pulled her up. "Hop, hop, we're on a tight schedule here."

"But... it's not the 29th yet! That's tomorrow," she protested.

Logan smirked. "Who said anything about the event starting on the 29th?"

Her eyes widened. "But… I can't leave right now! I've got plans for tonight! And my classes! And the paper that's due Friday!"

Logan shut down the computer for her and turned back to her, gazing into her eyes. "This is very simple, Maxie… you want that article, you come with me now. If you don't want it, you can stay here. But don't think you'll get another chance at this."

She stared at him, but he was pleased to see that her arms slowly fell on her sides and she grabbed her purse. Flashing her an approving grin, Logan took her by the arm and quickly led her out of the newsroom, steering her outside. It took her one minute to protest again. "Wait, you mean we leave right now?"

"Always the perceptive one, aren't you?" he answered, ushering her forward.

But she abruptly yanked her arm out of his grip and stepped away. "That's crazy! I don't have any change of clothes or underwear for tomorrow and my toothbrush! I need at least my toothbrush!"

"Everything's been taken care of," Logan just told her and grabbed her hand to drag her the rest of the way out to the waiting SUV. The moment his fingers touched hers, a bolt ran up his arm and right to his very core.

What the...

He caught her startled glance at their joined hands and wondered if she had felt that bolt as well, whatever it was.

But before he could dwell any longer on that thought, she glanced back at him, narrowing her eyes. "Wait, what do you mean everything's been taken care of?"

"You'll see," he just told her, enjoying how very much she didn't like that answer. He had expected the reaction from her; otherwise, he would have been seriously disappointed if she hadn't been pissed by the way they were going to leave.

That's why he hadn't warned her ahead of time that they would be leaving a day earlier and forced her now to come with him, completely at his mercy. The way he saw it, she definitely deserved this for blackmailing him like she had. Among other things. His Maxie had a couple of interesting days ahead of her and if he wanted to be honest, he couldn't wait to see how she'd tackle them. From all he had gathered about this girl, she was going to rock. Perhaps be a bit hesitant at first and she definitely would protest a lot – these past few minutes a clear proof of that – but in the end, she'd pull through for them, he was sure of that.

"This is kidnapping. That's way a bigger crime than a little blackmail."

"Come on, Maxie," he snorted. "This can hardly count as a kidnapping when you invited yourself to the event in the first place. I'm just picking you up, like any other decent guy would pick up the girl for his date." He smirked. "You do remember that this is supposed to be our second date as well, don't you?"

"We agreed for Thursday, not starting Wednesday for a two-day date!" She frowned. "It is only two days, isn't it?"

The only answer he gave her was a big, blinding smile.

"No. No way! I can't miss three days!" she protested and when she looked at him again with wide eyes, he could see some real panic in them.

He sighed. "Relax. Technically, it's only two days. Remember, it's only early afternoon. I promise we'll be back at Yale by noon Friday." He perked up. "And hey, wasn't it you who said on our last date that we never agreed on a time frame for our dates?"

She snapped her mouth shut and threw him one of her patented glares. He laughed and, having reached the SUV, opened the passenger's door and turned back to her, making a little bow. "Milady."

For a moment longer, she kept her glare fixed on him, but then she huffed and went to the backseat, sliding over. "Stooges two and three," she greeted dryly as Logan slid in behind her.

Finn grumbled and Colin threw her one of his ingenuous looks. As soon as Logan had closed the door, Finn pulled away, groaning when the sun shone directly onto his face. With a curse, he slammed down the car sun visor. Arching up an eyebrow, Maxie glanced at Logan.

"It's still a bit early for Finn," he explained. "You better leave him alone for a couple more hours. He should come to life then."

Finn grumbled something more.

Maxie sat back, crossing her arms. "Considering that I'm not exactly here on my own free will, why should I not pester the hell out of you all?"

"I told you to warn her ahead. Now she'll be pouting the whole time," Colin groaned, shooting Logan a deadly glare.

Logan ignored him. "Hey, you can get out any time you want," he answered Maxie. "Get out of the car, forget about the article," he made it clear.

Her glare intensified. "Like hell I will and you know that very well. But you could have warned me about this."

Logan shrugged. "Now, where would the fun be in that?" He laid his head to the side. "Besides, what do you expect after blackmailing your way into this? An engraved invitation and a red carpet?"

"Ah, so this is about revenge," Maxie nodded with understanding.

Logan shook his forefinger. "Now, revenge is such a strong word. Why not just say that I'm merely balancing out the score."

Maxie grinned a feral smile. "You do remember that I'm doing an article on your event? You really want to risk displeasing me, knowing what I can do?"

"But, Maxie, I absolutely trust you to be strictly professional and honorable about this article. You won't bust it up just to take a petty shot at me," Logan replied confidently.

Her eyes searched his for a moment, and then she shook her head. "Point for you," she admitted, her eyes burning into his. "But don't think this is over yet."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Logan told her, truthfully actually. He leaned in, noticing that his nearness definitely affected her, that cute blush blossoming on her alabaster skin once again. "In fact, I'd be very disappointed if it were over just like that," he said, his voice low and sensual.

She drew slightly back, deep red by now. "You're impossible."

Logan leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Aww, not impossible… just persistent."

She glared at him, and then turned forward, clearly trying to ignore him. "And where exactly are we headed?"

"You'll see," Logan answered.

She ignored him again. "And how much longer will it take us to get there?"

"As long as it takes," Logan once again gave the answer.

Her eyes flickered back at him. "Are you going to tell me anything anytime soon?"

"Not until we've reached our destination," Logan said.

She gave a deep sigh. "And what are we supposed to talk about until then? Or should we just spend this drive in silence? If that's what you want you better have packed a book for me… preferably one of my textbooks so I can get some work done. And what about my laptop? Did you pack it as well?"

"Love, for Heaven's sake, we're heading out to have fun. Working, a terrible sin, is strictly banned for the next two days," Finn growled.

"Uh, Finn, you do remember that I'm coming along in order to write the article. And that's work in itself?" she reminded him.

Finn muttered something unintelligible.

"And _you_ do remember that this is also our second date, Maxie, don't you?" Logan himself reminded her obligingly.

"Oh, I remember," she snorted and eyed him mistrustfully. "But what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Logan mustered up his most innocent smile. "Just that you remember that this is also a date, Maxie, nothing more, nothing less."

He could tell that she didn't like his answer at all – all the better. This time, she was on his turf and under his conditions – and he planned to make the best out of this date. After all, this was their second and last one. Well, there was still the back massage, but other than that, he had to convince her in the next two days to continue to see him, to date him. And he had every intention of accomplishing this.

She wouldn't know what hit her.

* * *

"Not bad, huh?" Logan asked, not taking his eyes off Maxie as they walked onto the clearing, wanting to see her reaction.

She looked impressed. But she only gave a vague nod. "Hmm, not bad."

Logan glanced at the little village of white tents, the old-fashioned bonfires, the discreetly hidden water-closets, also old-fashioned, at least from the outside and thought about the playfields they prepared for tomorrow. "Come on, you've got to admit that this is way better than just 'not bad'."

She tore her eyes away from the sight in front of her to regard him. "I'd say it's obvious that a lot of preparation went into this… and a lot of money. How are you financing all this? It can't be all alumni donations. And what about those who can't afford to dress up? Speaking of that," she nodded towards the brigadiers who were already assembled around, dressed in the roaring-twenties style. "Did you take care of my costume or am I branded as the outsider for the whole event?"

"You are an outsider," he pointed out.

"Is that a yes?" she countered.

"Look for yourself," he just told her and opened the flap of the tent they've set up for her.

She gave him a look but went inside with Logan following her, watching as she took in the cot, the night table, the dark wooden chest, the little mirror, the antique wash bowl, the wooden chair.

Turning back to him, she cocked her eyebrow. "No potty?"

Logan laughed. "No, we thought it's in everyone's interest to provide proper facilities."

"Good thinking," she agreed and took another look around. "Now, back to my question..."

"The chest," he hinted, nodding towards it.

She went over to open it, her eyebrows shooting up when she saw a change of her own clothes along with three white boxes. "You'll need only the first for today, the other two are for tomorrow. I'll give you half an hour to change, then I'm back to escort you to today's festivities." Grinning and not giving her any chance to respond, he ducked out of the tent and went to the tent next to hers, which was his own.

It just felt good to have the last word.

* * *

"Are you ready?"

There was a muffled reply from inside the tent that Logan assumed was a 'no' or a 'just a moment'. "You've got three minutes left. After that we'll go, no matter what state of dress you're in," he warned. Then again, if he wanted to be honest, he wouldn't mind that much if she wasn't ready yet when he went inside. Feeling a certain part of his body enjoying that possibility a bit too much as well, he pushed these dangerous thoughts away again. "Two minutes!"

Truthfully, he really was impatient. He was very curious and even eager to see how Maxie was going to fit in with the LDB. Would she recognize the freedom and liberty the Brigade stood for or would she just condemn them for their money and upbringing she seemed to like doing? He hoped it was the former because, otherwise, he'd never hear the end of it from the other brigadiers. Also, it would really be a shame. "One minute!"

"You're really annoying… has anyone ever told you that?" came from behind the still closed tent flap.

"No, not that I can remember. All I ever hear is how smart I am, how very good my taste is and of course, what a God I am in bed," Logan replied, amused.

The flap flew to the side and Maxie stepped out. "Please… I think I need a brown bag 'cause I definitely feel like throwing up especially when I meet such a delusional, so wrapped up in arrogance egomaniac, on top of everything else."

There surely was a clever comeback he could tell her but for the life of him, he couldn't think of one. Actually, he couldn't think of any words right now other than _Wow_, with a big W. He had thought the egg-white, turn-of-the-century-styled dress would look good on her but damn, she looked hot in it. The soft material hugged her curves, accented her long legs and though almost close-necked, it showed more than enough to tantalize anybody of what a treat would await anyone lucky enough to unwrap her out of that dress.

And damn, he wanted to be that lucky guy.

"Careful, Huntzberger, or one could get the idea that you actually lost that suave tongue of yours."

It was hard, but he ripped his eyes away from the enticing images in his mind to smirk. "So, you admit that the tongue hasn't lost its magic on you?"

"Can't we just move on to the embarrassing and humiliating initiation rites you undoubtedly have planned for your neophytes?" she asked with an eyeroll but he didn't miss the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Oh, Maxie, you still have so much to learn," he sighed, taking her elbow to lead her towards the woods.

"And I guess you'll now offer to teach me these oh so important wisdom, oh great Obi Wan." When he grinned, she held up her hand. "Just save it. You know, Mom always told me to not go with strangers."

"I'm hurt, Maxie. I'm hardly a stranger."

"She also told me to not follow the big bad wolf anywhere, let alone into the woods."

"Then it's a good thing you have your knight in shining white suit with you to protect you from the bad wolf and any other pervert or serial killer lurking in the shadows," he retorted, spreading his arms to show off his white suit.

Maxie made a face. "Ugh… with lines like that I'm surprised you ever convinced a woman to sleep with you, let alone a long line."

"Aha! So, you admit it finally!" Logan triumphed, pointing a finger at her.

She frowned at him. "Admit what?"

He grinned at her. "That my charm hasn't failed and you're into me."

"Ladies and Gentlemen… he lost it," she said, staring at him.

"You know about the line. Actually, that's the second time you mentioned it already. Hence, you were curious enough to investigate my love life… which you wouldn't do if there's not even the slightest interest of becoming a part of it," Logan smugly pointed out to her.

She shook her head. "First of all, I don't do lines, Mr Huntzberger. If I'll ever be so crazy to date you, it will be only me or not me at all. Second, I blackmailed you so if I did any investigating about you it was purely for work and not any misguided lust and, last but certainly not least," she counted off her fingers, giving him a look that could freeze over hell, "there's no need to do any digging on you to learn about the line. I was informed to get in line or regret it the first moment you openly talked to me in public, apparently that's being equivalent to you showing interest in dating me."

It was his turn to frown. "What?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What? Had no idea just how efficient that line of yours works?"

No, he actually didn't. Not that he had ever taken this ridiculous line seriously. He was dating whomever he wanted – or so he had thought. Could it really be that some of those crazy chicks had been _allowed_ to cross his way? Or that others had been scared away?

Nah, that couldn't be – or could it?

"Cat got your tongue?"

Forcing his thoughts away, he leered at her. "Is my tongue in your mouth?"

"Just shoot me," she murmured, rolling her eyes again. "Are we near the slaughter bank or do you intend to walk all the way to Alaska?"

"Impatience is such an unfitting trait, Maxie," he told her, leading her through a row of trees that led to the pathway to a big clearing. "Welcome to the early twentieth century, Ms. Gilmore. The era when the air of revolution and new adventures are awaiting us… people enjoying their freedom are ecstatic about what lies ahead, while having fun like no generation before them… the world at the brink of a new beginning."

She took in everything – the bonfires lighting the clearing, the music playing in the background, the people milling around, talking, laughing – and remained silent.

Logan smirked. "Cat got your tongue?"

She slowly looked back at him. "It's not what I expected. You always go to such length and effort?"

"It's the Life and Death Brigade… what do you think?" he asked back. "Come on. Let's mingle and see how much you can learn from them."

"Is that a challenge?"

"They've not been too happy when they heard a reporter is coming to spy on them. So yes, Maxie… this is very much a challenge," Logan told her openly, loving the way her eyes lit up.

"You're on," she nodded and moved past him to take the lead. Grinning, he followed her, ready to enjoy the show.

* * *

"Well, learning a lot about us?" Logan asked, feeling quite smug. It was almost three hours later and while he had let Maxie work the crowd alone, he had always kept an eye on her, watching her interact with the Brigadiers. It had been fun to watch how the irritation about the evasive answers had slowly grown in her, but even more interesting was how she had interacted with them. They were a tough, certainly spectacular, pretty particular group of people and he guessed that a person had to be of a certain mindset to understand or accept them. Or even fit in. As much as he thought his Maxie was quite special, he hadn't been sure if she had that mindset.

But he shouldn't have worried, she fit in just perfectly.

She regarded him with annoyance. "You would be surprised," she tried to snub him, only causing him to grin widely.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," she insisted but he still heard the defensiveness in her voice.

"Huh! And I thought they were a real pain in the ass by avoiding your questions and giving no direct answers," he retorted, not letting her out of his eyesight, suppressing a smile when she shifted uncomfortably. "Must have been wrong."

"I'm sure I don't have to point out to you, Mr. _Huntzberger_, the fine art of unsaid answers and things," she answered, sounding more confident. "Trust me. I got enough to get me going… and the rest I'm sure will be easily gathered and collected in the days to come."

Hmm. Perhaps she really had gathered more information than he had thought. She was, after all, a pretty damn good little ace reporter. "Sure, Ace," he drawled, deliberately sounding very doubtful. He couldn't help it – he just loved to see her all riled up.

Her eyes narrowed. "The name's Ro-ry. Two little syllables. You're an Eli, it should at least be manageable for you to remember it. Then again, you're rich and blond. In my experience, rich blondes seem to have trouble remembering said two little syllables."

"You know, just because you met one obnoxious, rich, blond guy in high school, doesn't mean that that is true for all blond, rich guys. In fact, I very much object to being put into the same category as DuGrey. I am so above him," he chided her lightly.

"Well, as so far I have yet to meet another type of guys who insist on giving me ridiculous nicknames, I fear you have no chance of escaping the comparison… unless, of course, you finally stop calling me Maxie or any other name not my name," she pointed out to him with a deriding smile.

"Now, where would the fun be in that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're way too cute all riled up over nicknames, Gilmore."

She sputtered. "Cute?"

Choosing not to elaborate on that, he looked down onto her notebook. "So, you've got enough to get you going?"

With narrowed eyes, she held it up. "Yep, already in my second notebook. I've got enough for now."

Strike! "That's wonderful! So we can move on to the fun part now."

Instantly, she frowned mistrustfully. "Fun part?"

He gave her his biggest smile. "Our date of course."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Well, we already..."

"You didn't think I would consider you mingling around, interviewing the other Brigadiers and not spending any time with me as a sufficient date, did you?" Of course she did, but she definitely thought wrongly. "Oh! No, Gilmore, not like this. After all, the whole concept of our little deal here had been, I get my second date while you get your inside scoop. You don't want to bail out on our deal, do you? Because if you do, then I'm sure we can find someone to drive you back right now," he added, very smugly, knowing exactly that she wouldn't want that.

And sure enough, she slowly shook her head, her annoyance obvious though. "Of course not. A deal's a deal."

Another blinding smile for her. "Right! So let me tell you how this whole date/article research is going to work. You get to do the whole reporter thing and once you've finished or after I deem you have enough and are really only stalling for time, you put your little notebook away and our date begins. This holds true for tomorrow also. While date time is on, you're absolutely forbidden to ask any questions for your article, take a note or try to snoop around. After all, it's a date, right Maxie?"

He was positive that she gritted her teeth as she answered, quite gruffly. "Sure."

Ah, he just loved to outmaneuver her. Though she really should have known, after everything they've already been through, there was no way she'd get off the hook so easily. "Good. So now that you're finished being an annoying reporter, how about we start our date with something to eat?"

She looked over to the buffet tables, making a face. "I've already eaten or at least tried to. There's way too much salt in everything. So I suggest we better skip that part."

"It's Finn, you know? Australians' taste buds are just screwed up, trust me. We tried to prevent him from touching the food, but somehow, he's sneaky in that regard," Logan explained with an apologetic smile. "As I know Finn for a long time now, I was so wise to anticipate the salt attack and saved some food before Finn got to it. So, you still want to skip on a real non-salty late dinner?"

He had thought he'd score some points with the saved food but he hadn't thought he'd get quite as rewarded as he did, as he watched her eyes practically blazing up, a genuine smile finally being directed at him. And before she could say anything, there was a rather loud rumble from her stomach, causing her cheeks to color. Laughing, he took her hand. "I think that was a quite obvious answer. Come on, let's feed that beast of yours."

For once, there was not one single protest coming out her lips. Now, that was a promising start for their date.

* * *

"It's amazing how much better the same food can be when there's not too much salt in it," Maxie sighed contently, leaning back and rewarding Logan with another smile.

"Yeah, amazing," he agreed, glad that she had liked the midnight dinner so much. Apparently, providing her with food was definitely the way to her heart, he noted to himself, having every intention of exploiting this little bit of knowledge for the future. "I tell you, whenever Colin and I visit Finn in Australia, we tend to cook our meals ourselves. And Colin _hates_ to cook, you can believe me on that. Nor is he especially good at it. But desperate times, desperate measures."

She chuckled, eyeing him. "And you're any better at cooking? Have you ever even held a spatula in your hands?"

"You mean unless I misuse them as swords just like when I was five?" he smirked. Still, something urged him to tell her the truth, so he continued. "You'll be surprised to hear this but I'm actually a pretty decent cook."

As he had expected, there was already a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

Skeptical much, wasn't she? Then again, he could understand her skepticism. Cooking wasn't high on any elitist's lists of skills. "Yeah. We have this cook, Louis who has been with my family for ages, since before my parents married, actually. I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen when I was home and he taught me quite a lot."

Her head tilted slightly to the side, she studied him quite intensely, making him feel a bit uncomfortable. While he had wanted her to believe him, he hadn't quite planned to tell her this much. Somehow, it had just come out without him really realizing it until now. Not the first time this happened with her, he remembered, unsure what to think about that.

"I get that," she said after a moment. "There's this cook in the inn my mom worked in, where I grew up. Her name's Sookie and she became Mom's best friend rather quickly. She's like an aunt to me, which is nice 'cause my parents don't have any siblings, so she's pretty much it. I too spent a lot of time in her kitchen, talking with her. Unlike you though, she never managed to teach me the fine art of cooking."

"Not much of a cook then, huh?" he asked, ridiculously pleased that she had shared this information with him and not digging any deeper on the reasons just why he spent so much time in the kitchen. He wasn't ready yet nor in the mood to go in deeply about his depressing childhood. Probably, she could imagine it, after all, her mother ran away at seventeen.

She shrugged, grinning. "Let's put it this way: if I ever offer you something I've cooked myself, you'd be wise to refuse it. Most likely, you'd get food poisoning from it - with or without that being my intention."

"Thanks for the warning, I'll remember that," he replied dryly.

"My pleasure though I might regret it in the future. Who knows when I might deem it justified to give you a little discomfort for yet another stupid thing you said or did..." She shook her head sadly before once again giving him a scrutinizing look. "But you know, I still have my doubts about that skill of yours. After all, you tend to overestimate yourself with that ego of yours. So I'll only believe it when I see it."

His eyes lightening up, he leaned forward, eagerly. "Why, Ms. Gilmore, have you just asked me out on another date?"

"What? No!" she protested, startled.

But he nodded vigorously, pointing a finger at her. "Sure you did! You demanded proof, hence you just asked for another dinner date with me, one that humble me has to cook for you so you'll believe that I'm a good cook. That, my dear Maxie, is definitely you asking me for a date."

She opened her mouth but no word came out. In the end, she crossed her arms and glared at him. "You tricked me!"

"Oh no, you don't get to blame this on me! That's all you, Baby, your deepest desire of being with me showing its face," he argued with her, enjoying the fire in her eyes. "Don't be sad. Sooner or later they all will see the light of day."

Shaking her head, she regarded him with a look that could have made hell freeze over. Not that it had any effect on him. Quite the contrary. "It's really pitiful. There are these nice moments, just like some minutes ago, and then that ego of yours shows its ugly head."

"And yet you just asked me out on another date," he pointed out, pleased with the turn of events. Still, it was probably better to not push this hard now but just move on. "But let's wait with that until after this date is over."

They were sitting in front of his tent, near the clearing, where a group of Brigadiers just started to sing near the campfires. A few others had opened the dance floor as well, dancing to Charleston music. Glancing over, he stood up to go around the table and hold out his hand to Maxie who looked up at him with surprise. "Wanna dance?"

Looking toward the dance floor, she shook her head. "I can't dance, let alone the Charleston."

"If you look more closely, you'll see hardly anyone dances the real Charleston. And I don't believe you can't dance. Everyone can dance," he argued.

"Ha! Not this one here," she protested though. "Trust me, I've tried. Miss Patty, our dance teacher in Stars Hollow and the poor feet of my ex-boyfriend will only be too happy to confirm to you that me and dancing - so not a good combination. After all, dancing is like a sport and you've seen me play golf."

She was serious. Huh. All the more reason to insist on a dance, if you asked him, he liked a challenge. "Well, to quote you: I'll only believe when I see it. In my experience and that's quite a colorful one - Mom sent me to my first dance class when I was five and never let me forget my dance lessons - I assure you that a lady is only bad at dancing when her partner sucks. Tonight, being extremely lucky to have such a good and well-trained partner like me, you'll see how easy dancing is and how much fun it is. So come on. Let's see who'll be proved wrong here, though I daresay it will be you."

To his delight, she laid her hand into his, causing an electricity-like current to shoot up through his arm, straight down to every different part of his body. Huh, so strange. This happened quite a lot when they touched – something that has not happened with any other girl. A part of him wondered what that sensation was all about but a big part of him though just wanted to enjoy the new sensation.

"Okay… it's your feet after all. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Pulling her up and leading her over to the dance floor, never letting go of her hand, he chuckled. "Just like I warned you that you'll love dancing with me. Perhaps, so much so, that you'll never want to dance with anyone else. Fair warning."

"You just can't stop it, can you?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Only the truth, Maxie, only the truth," he assured her, drawing her into his arms as soon as they were on the dance floor. Much to his delight, the music changed to something slow just then. Good. If she really was as inexperienced as she had said, then it would be much easier to teach her during a slow tune than with a fast one. He started to sway her to the rhythm of the music, a blues, but had to find out quite soon the biggest problem her ex-boyfriend probably had with her. He stopped and looked down into her eyes. "Now, Maxie, I know this may be hard on you, but as soon as your feet touch the dance floor, women rights and women power are left behind. On the dance floor there is only one who's leading and that's the man. As the lady, your only task is to relax and follow my lead. Got it?"

When she met his eyes, she was anything else but a happy camper. "That's so sexist, you know? A woman can lead as well as a man."

"Actually no, she can't," he lectured her. "First, she's not in the right position to have a strong lead hand. Second, as the man usually is taller than the lady it's only natural that he's got to lead as he can see better than her. Third, it is a fact that only one can lead and as we've just established, this has to be the man. And fourth and most importantly, as my dance teacher always told me, there's nothing as wonderful and sexy as to just be able to let go and let a strong male take over, if only for a moment."

"I still think it's sexist. But fine, do your thing and let's get this over with," she only replied, sighing deeply, her nose cutely crumpled.

"Oh, all that eagerness just warms my heart," he told her sarcastically, but once again started to sway her to the music. "Relax," he instructed in a murmur. "Look up at me and forget about the steps and the rhythm and let me worry about all that. You just enjoy the music and follow my lead."

She let out another deep sigh, but he noticed as most of the resistance he had felt in her slowly started to dissipate and sure enough, after a minute or two she had managed to let go and actually let him do his job. By the time a second song started to play, thankfully once again a slow one, she was actually easy to lead and he thought he saw surprise and pleasure filling up her eyes. "Good. See… no protesting feet as of yet," he said softly, smiling down at her.

"For now," she replied, but there was neither heat nor any gruff in her voice anymore.

He smirked, but said nothing else. Instead, he continued to lead her through the dance, trying a few more complicated routines and she danced each of them perfectly. No, she definitely wasn't a bad dancer. Rather, as he had suspected, she probably never had a good partner, one who actually knew what he was doing. In his arms though, she soon became very easily led. Even more, he reveled in the revelation of just how good it felt to have her in his arms. How well she fit into them.

They danced on, song after song, somehow all of them rather slow, not that he complained. Not at all. He wouldn't want it any other way. Soon, he lost track of time, having no idea just how long they had been dancing. They hardly talked, but the silence between them was neither boring nor uncomfortable. No. Somehow, their silence rather augmented the tension? Anticipation? He wasn't sure what it was he was feeling, but it was definitely something that felt good. A feeling that caused them to get more and more lost in the eyes of the other, until he had forgotten everything else but the beautiful girl he held.

More romantic souls than him would say that they were living a moment of pure magic.

At one point though, the music changed to some hot, fast rhythm of the roaring twenties, breaking through the world the two of them had fallen into. Looking around at last, Logan noticed that the lights had started to die down as more and more Brigadiers had either gone to their assigned beds or to the tents of someone else. They were part of the last still hanging out with other Brigadiers around the clearing.

The realization of how he had just lost himself in another world because of the girl in his arms made him somewhat breathless. Looking back down at Rory, he was somewhat relieved to see that he could at least see the same surprise and confusion he was feeling mirrored in her eyes. "It's getting late. We should probably turn in now. It's a big day tomorrow."

She nodded, still dazed apparently. The fact that she didn't use the opening for more questions about next day's program was only more telling of how thrown off she was by what had just occurred between them. Well, she sure wasn't the only one.

Not willing to let go of her yet, he turned her in his arms so that his right hand slid down to the small of her back, his left hand still holding hers firmly in his. "Come, I escort you back to your tent," he told her, not able to help the slight roughness his voice had taken on.

Without one word of protest, she let him lead her across the clearing to her tent. They stopped in front of it and she turned to him. He had the feeling she wanted to say something, but no words came out off her lips. Well, he could relate to that. He too wasn't sure what to say.

For a brief moment, his eyes glanced to her tent. Heaven knew he badly wanted to go in with her for the night, so much so that the intensity of his desire scared him. But he also knew that the chances that she'd invite him in were slim anyway and if he propositioned her now, he had a hunch that that would have been the last time she let him this close again, if at all. Looking back at her after eyeing her tent, he had to smile wistfully at the expression on her face as she apparently had followed his gaze. Nope, definitely no happy night for little Logan tonight.

At least, seeing some of the annoyance he came to know so well on her face, he knew how to break the awkward moment. He leaned into her personal space to look deep into her eyes. "Now tell me that wasn't fun," he said, this time keeping his voice deliberately husky.

Her cheeks blushed as her eyes lowered to the ground.

Charming. As much as she was really a spitfire at times, throw a little innuendo her way and she would immediately turn into an enticing innocence. "You're good at dancing," he continued, letting her off the hook a little, for now.

Her gaze rose to meet his and she shrugged lightly, her cheeks still a deep red though. "You too."

It sounded a bit grudgingly to his ears, but then, he could very well live with that. "I believe that was just a compliment. Huh. Now if that's not a good end for this part of our second date, I don't know what is."

"Don't let it get to your head," she replied, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Ah, now, that was his Maxie!

"I wouldn't dream of it." Grinning, he quickly leaned in again. "Sweet dreams," he whispered into her ear and before she could draw back, he gave in to his urge and kissed her cheek softly. Every fiber of his body screamed to kiss her properly, and the sweet taste of her on his lips now did nothing to help control this almost primal urge. But, heroically, he managed to draw back and only offer her a sincere smile. "Good night, Rory."

She stared at him in utter surprise and with this cute sight, he turned away to briskly walk over to his tent. It wasn't easy, leaving her behind, when it was not what he really wanted to do. But deep down he knew that with this girl, he had to be slow or he'd cause her to run away from him and probably never speak to him again. And as much as he wanted to have sex with her, he would rather keep her talking to him, which was more important. Besides, the sex was just postponed or so he hoped.

Because one thing was for sure. This Logan wanted to have his Maxie as much as their counterparts in _Dark Angel_. Though he still thought he was Alec rather than Logan. Not that it mattered. Everyone knew that Alec had just waited for the moment Max went into heat and her body was going to open her eyes to what she really needed instead of some fairytale dream she kept harboring.

Yeah, that would work for him as well.

* * *

"Well, well, you and that reporter seemed pretty cozy last night."

Looking up from preparing a plate from the morning buffet, Logan only glanced briefly at the guy who showed up beside him. "Is there a point, Robert, or are you just being your annoying self?"

"Just wanted to make sure you haven't slipped the secrets of the LDB to her just so you can take along your newest bed bunny to the event," Robert said, trying for nonchalance and failing miserable.

Loading a sliced bagel onto his plate and on the one he was preparing for Maxie, he snorted. "Why ever should I do that? Doing this article was never my idea. And you very well know, I can have a bed bunny, as you worded it, wherever and whenever I want and even if your ludicrous suspicion were correct, then I would not have spent the night alone but would have had wild monkey sex with her."

Robert held his hands up. "She could just have turned you down, Huntzberger. Sooner or later, they all have to realize that there's no substance to you."

"I'm not you. Every girl who's been with me will be happy to confirm to you that there's nothing to complain about," Logan replied unfazed, adding some bacon and eggs for Maxie while choosing a grapefruit for himself. It had become clear yesterday that healthy was definitely not the Gilmore way to eat. "I'm still waiting for your point. If you have none, why don't you just remove yourself out of my sight?"

Robert raised an eyebrow. "My point? There's no point, only interest. You and that reporter… are you together or something?"

"What's it any business to you?" Logan asked back, leaving the food and pouring some coffee for them.

"She's hot," Robert simply answered with a leer.

Looking sharply at the obnoxious guy, Logan's gaze darkened in warning. "Thank you, Robert, I kind of noticed that myself. That's why she's _my_ date." He emphasized the possessive adjective to describe the word 'date'. The jerk better not have any ideas about his Maxie.

Because Robert was stupid, he seemed to not totally grasp the subtle warning, as once again, he shrugged with his disgusting leer still in place. "Oh well, then I guess I'll just wait until she gets tired of you. I can always ask her out later. Won't be that long a wait, knowing you and your history with girls."

Something absolutely foreign happened to Logan at hearing these words and the thought of Robert and his sleazy fingers being anywhere near his Maxie. Blood pumped through his veins twice the normal speed and he thought he could actually hear it rush in his ears. Taking a deep breath to get the sudden rage under control, he forced himself to stay calm. He was not letting that jackass goad him into anything.

Still though, there was one thing Robert needed to understand. Taking the service tray with the plates and the cups of coffee into his hands (perhaps gripping the handles a bit too tightly), he turned to head towards Maxie's tent. Walking by Robert, he stopped momentarily, though. "She's mine, Robert. Hands off," he warned straight out, his voice low and menacing.

He had no idea why he felt this strong need to warn Robert off, he just knew he had to. Briefly looking into the asshole's eyes, he was satisfied to see that his warning had registered with Robert, judging from the apprehensiveness and surprise in his pale green eyes. Nodding, he left Robert behind, resuming his way.

Though it wasn't really a long way to Rory's tent, he once again got interrupted on his way as all of a sudden Colin fell into step with him. "So… you and Rory seemed to hit it off quite well last night."

He shrugged, careful of the tray he was holding. "We had fun, yeah."

Colin snorted. "Looked like a lot more than just _fun_. And even a lot less as well. After all, you weren't invited in, eh?"

Logan sighed. What was it with these guys today? Had they all gone mad? "And your point being?"

"Nothing. Just wondering. You've got to admit, that's not your usual modus operandi. Then again, the lovely and charming Ms. Gilmore is not your usual type either, so I guess you just adapted to that fact, huh?" Colin studied him intensely. "I mean, it's not as if you've really fallen for that girl, is it? I mean she's hot, sure. And intelligent. I can see how a guy can fall for her. But of course not you, right?"

Stopping cold, Logan stared at Colin to check if he had sprouted a second head or something. Nope, no second head. What the hell... "Are you crazy? Of course there's no falling involved here. You know me. I don't fall, period. Maxie and I are just having fun."

Stopping as well, Colin looked back at him, his hands buried deep in his pockets. "I thought so. I mean you and falling. But..." He hesitated and Logan got the feeling that his friend was going to say something he wasn't going to like. "You sure though she's only having fun? She doesn't seem the type to just have fun. Rather, she seems like the type whom you've got to commit to first before you get anything. And when I say commit, I mean commit in a real permanent type of way that at least requires the status of a boyfriend. You're aware of that, aren't you?"

"Excuse me, but are you trying to warn me _off_ her here?" Logan asked, incredulous. He must have heard wrong. Colin wouldn't talk to him about how to treat a girl. Never.

"No!" Colin protested at once though, giving relief to Logan, but only briefly, as Colin continued. "Yes... I'm not sure. Maybe I am. It's for your sake though. I can see you like her. You've got the hots for her. Understandable. As I have said before, she's hot. Still, Logan… she's different and before you go any further you should perhaps step back, cool down and think this through for a moment. 'Cause I don't think you want what she'll want in order to take you to her bed." Colin's eyes were still locked with his, albeit reluctantly.

"This is ridiculous!" It really was! First of all, there was absolutely nothing to be worried about. And second, even if his worries were justified, which they weren't, but if they were, Colin had no business whatsoever sticking his nose into it. "Rory and I are having fun. If we take the fun to another level, you can be sure we'll both know exactly where the other stands. Not that it's any of your business what I do or don't do with her."

Colin's hands flew up in a gesture of peace. "Hey, no need to rip my head off. I just want to make sure that you're aware of what you're getting yourself into so you can stop before hearts get broken in a really bad way." He took a step back, his head tipping to the side as his eyes narrowed. "Just a last question: You sure you're only in it for fun? Because I gotta tell you, you're acting real strange here. First you get all territorial as it seemed as if you're ready to rip out Robert's throat while castrating him as well. What's up with that anyway? Since when do you get possessive over a girl? Anyway, this hasn't been the first time. Ever since you've met her you've been awfully secretive and territorial about her. And now you're even picking a fight with me over her. This looks a lot like falling to me, so are you really sure that you have not already invested more than just having a little fun with that girl?"

"This has absolutely nothing to do with her but everything with Robert being an ass, going after a girl who's here as my date and you having gone crazy. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to get this coffee to her before it gets cold," Logan gave back, seething. The nerve of them! "Come back when you're lucid again."

Thus said, he stomped away. Really. Robert's always been an asshole, that was nothing new, but what on Earth had gotten into Colin? So he and Maxie had had a good time last night. And hell yeah, he did very much plan to take her to his bed in the near future, but just because he was taking his time with her and had not jumped right into it didn't mean that there was anything different with this girl, unlike the others. Not in the big picture at least. Maxie just had to be approached in a different way, not similar to how he would have dealt with the bimbos he usually bedded. Plus, Colin was right. Maxie wasn't the one-night-stand type. Still, in his experience, even the commitment girls wanted to just have some fun sometimes and something told him that she was ready for said fun. If not, well, then no problem at all either. It wouldn't be the end of the world to not have her.

Though, it would be a damn shame.

Reaching at last the tent she was sleeping in, he put the tray on the table outside her tent and stepped to the closed flap, trying to hear if he there was any movement inside. Absolute silence. "Maxie?"

No answer.

Debating only for a moment, he pulled the flap open and carefully peaked inside, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light in the tent. Ah. Sleeping beauty hadn't risen yet from her slumber. Looked like a wake up call was in order. Smirking, he snapped a cup of coffee from the tray and quietly entered the tent, letting the flap close behind him. Kneeling down beside her cot, he regarded her for a moment. The longer he looked, the faster the smirk vanished to make place for a real smile – that signaled his amazement. And as the seconds ticked by, even the smile slowly vanished.

In the past, whenever he read books about how someone would just contently watch another person sleeping, he would always roll his eyes. It was a so overused cliché. Now, he wasn't so quick anymore in rolling his eyes. Something about watching her sleep moved something deep inside him, something that has never moved before. He didn't know what but it made him catch his breath.

Having forgotten his original purpose of waking her up, he was startled when all of a sudden, her eyelids fluttered open and those startling blue eyes albeit still heavy with sleep, stared straight into his. She blinked, a small frown appearing between her eyes. "Logan?"

Something about how she said his name, all sleepy and dreamy, caused a quite unexpected reaction from his body, especially considering the confusion this moment had caused in Logan. And feeling himself harden now only deepened that confusion. Jeez! Standing up abruptly, he put the coffee onto her night table. "Yeah. It's time to get up. Today's festivities will start in an hour."

Her frown deepened. "You're wearing a tux."

Glancing down at her, he felt the smirk from before returning and tugging at the corner of his lips. "I can always count on you stating the obvious, huh, Maxie?"

The sleep cleared from her eyes and she flipped over from her position on her stomach to sit up, revealing that she was wearing the shirt she had worn on the drive yesterday. A very tight and small shirt that revealed even more of just what was hidden when she lifted her arms to ruffle her hair, only to make it even more look like the perfect bed/sex-hair. His already excited penis grew immensely more excited, causing him involuntarily to step back in order to keep himself from closing the distance between them and crash his mouth against hers.

_Crash..._

At the image this little word conjured, he practically moaned. God. He needed to get out of this fucking tent!

_Fucking..._

Shit. He abruptly turned his back onto her. "Most important rule with the LDB… The integrity of the event always has to be safeguarded and respected. The next box will ensure that integrity. Showers are on the left…" _Shower!_ "... and there's some breakfast on your table outside. I'll come back to get you in a little less than an hour."

Without giving her any chance to respond he fled the suddenly very warm confines of her tent, taking some deep breath, eagerly drawing in the fresh morning air. Damn. _Damn!_ He hadn't been this turned on by absolutely nothing really since his teenage years. And even then it had involved _Baywatch_, the _Playboy_ or some other men's magazine, a porno or at least his history teacher Ms. Lennings in her usually too tight sweaters or spying on his sister's girlfriends in their pajamas the few times they stayed over. _Not_ by a girl who did nothing other than say his name and sit up.

Snapping the plate and coffee he had prepared for himself, he stomped off towards his own tent. Dammit! He had looked forward to having breakfast with her, and it was supposed to be another step in seducing one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore the Third. But the way his body had just betrayed him, there was no way he could bear sitting across this luscious vision of innocent beauty and not be able to do anything about it.

To hell with it, he thought darkly, trying to walk off the uncomfortable hardness he still sported. Whatever was up with this world this morning?

* * *

When he went back to go pick her up, he had thought normalcy had returned to the world. Then she stepped out of the tent, in the dark blue ball gown he had gotten for her, the gem stones sparkling on the deep blue silk have nothing compared to the sparkle of her eyes, her cheeks once again colored in a faint blush and her face meeting his with a very self-conscious and unsure expression that told tales of just how unaware she was of how strikingly beautiful she was.

With or without the gown.

"Here's your integrity," she opened their conversation, draping the pale blue pashmina shawl over her naked shoulders. "I hope it meets the required standard."

Nope, absolutely clueless she was. He nodded slowly, unable to take his eyes off her, even though it almost hurt to have to look at this stunning vision in blue without being able to act on what his dirty mind demanded him to do. Swallowing, he tried to find his voice. At the second try, it worked. "Don't worry, you'll pass. Come on, we're going to be late," he continued, waving her forward.

For a ridiculous moment, he hesitated, before he gingerly laid a hand onto the small of her back to lead her through the woods to the place where the games and the stunt would take place. He hurried, practically making her run, desperately wanting to get to the others, not trusting himself alone with her for one moment longer. When she stumbled and nearly fell, he caught her though, once again reminded of just how good she felt in his arms.

"Thanks," she mumbled, embarrassed, straightening up.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear away the fuzz his mind seemed to be caught in ever since that moment in her tent this morning. Perhaps, it was just best to return to banter. "Hey, no need to. Don't let the lady fall onto her nose… I think that's rule number five on the date rulebook."

"A very sensible rule." Thank God she played along. "Though I'm curious… what are the first four rules?"

At last relaxing from the weird thing happening to him this morning, Logan and her resumed their way at a way slower pace. "Rule four: Always go pick her up and bring her home afterwards. Rule three: Don't let her look stupid when talking her into something she's unsure about, just like when you had this totally ridiculous idea of not being able to dance. Rule two: Make sure she has fun. Rule one: Always keep her happy by providing her with enough food and drink. In your case that would be food for a whole basketball team and enough coffee to have an entire submarine crew going during a mission," he made them up without hesitation.

"Ah… and what number is the part where you blackmail her into the date in the first place?" she asked, looking expectantly at him with a wicked glee in her eyes.

"Now, that's not in the date rulebook. That's in the how to get a girl come to her senses rulebook," he gave back, winking at her. "Rule three: After the usual and every sensible way fails, blackmail her into it. Always remember, in the end she'll thank you and you're one happy camper."

"Huh… I thought that's out of the rulebook for how to be an incorrigible, arrogant elitist with an ego the size of Eurasia," she deadpanned.

"Nope, you've got that wrong," he countered, relieved that things finally seemed to have gone back to normal.

They arrived at the clearing, preventing her to make any more comment. The other Brigadiers already assembled around Colin who was chosen to be the ceremonial master for this event.

"I do declare here gathered, one hundred and eighth assembly of the honorable Life and Death Brigade," Colin said as Logan and Rory joined the others and Finn passed them glasses of champagne.

"I guess now's the time for the ritualistic sacrifice," Rory whispered, looking around and curiously eyeing the seven-story high scaffold they've build for the event.

Logan elbowed her lightly. "Shhhh!"

"Please raise your glasses," Colin asked the gathered group and raised his own. "In Omnia Paratus!"

"In Omnia Paratus!" echoed the group.

He turned to Rory to hold his glass to her lips, guiding her glass to his lips. A bit startled, she sipped the champagne. Using his free arm to pull her closer, he whispered into her ear. "Cover your ears."

"What?"

Too late. Finn was already swinging the mallet against the gong and the Brigadiers erupted into cheers, racing towards the games waiting for them. Logan though stayed with Maxie, watching with amusement how she took in all the extravagance of their annual event.

"I've got to say, you sure know how to set a new standard for a theme party," she eventually commented dryly.

"If we do something, we do it right," he agreed wholeheartedly. "And to think that some groups just go bowling or throw a house party once in a while."

"Yeah, how boring and unimaginative." Slowly, they walked towards the main area for the games where the others were already starting some games. Some had mounted horses for a polo game, some of the women had ridden the litters for the man-horse-version of polo, others were just hitting the first ball of cricket and quite some of the guys had moved eagerly to the shooting range. "Of course though, very few groups could afford this level of festivities. Seriously, Logan, how is the LDB financed?"

"Mostly with alumni fees. Most of our alumni are pretty successful, partly thanks to the LDB. We have excellent contacts and offer our graduates mouth-watering interest rates for loans and incentives for business start-ups," Logan explained. "So you see, we're not only about partying. Well, maybe during undergraduate years, but then, that is the time to really live and enjoy life."

Stopping to watch the polo game for a moment, she looked at him. "And my Grandpa is also a LDB member? Really?"

"Oh! Yeah. And he's still pretty active within the alumni part of the LDB," he told her, watching her for a reaction. She showed nothing though.

But then her next question piqued his interest. "And how exactly do you become a member now? You said it's not by legacy alone for example."

Was he just imagining it or was there perhaps more than just professional interest behind this question? "No. Legacy only guarantees that you'll be considered as a possible new member. In the end though, legacy or not, rich or not, all aspirants have to fulfill the same criteria: self-confidence, a certain level of intelligence, a good sense of adventure, ready to take on a few risks and most importantly a desire and willingness to live life to its fullest. If three members of the LDB think you meet these standards and would be an asset to the LDB, the group together will vote."

She was silent for quite a while after that. "So last year, I was probably, thanks to Grandpa's membership, considered. As I never received an invitation, I guess I failed your criteria, huh?"

He shrugged. "I wasn't here last year, so I can't say for sure. But yeah, it's possible. You're not surprised though, are you?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hey, relax," he pacified her, holding up his hands. "It's just you know yourself that your idea of life is mostly studying right now. Nor are you exactly the type who takes risks, aren't you? If you've been considered last year, the others probably deemed that you have no interest in joining any group other than a study group."

The glare was still in place. "Just because I have my priorities and interests different from you doesn't mean I don't have a life and a good one, might I add. And I do take risks."

"I never said your idea of life is wrong or bad. Just not what we're looking for in the LDB maybe. Or at least it wasn't. Your little blackmail scheme made you a lot interesting, Ms. Gilmore," Logan justified his words before he snorted. "And just what risks might that have been? Contradicting a professor?"

This time it was her who rammed her elbow into his side and not too gently either. Laughing, he jumped out of her reach. "Hit a nerve, huh, Maxie?"

"Don't you have a horse to mount or something?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He raised an eyebrow. "And leave you all alone? Now, what a companion would that make me?"

"One who lets me do my job and doesn't distract me by getting on my nerves," she added with a dark look.

"Okay, you're the boss. Hey, we could participate in the litter polo. You in the cabin, me carrying milady," he suggested, glancing over to the game in question. To be honest, he wasn't that eager to play a human horse, but a few rounds he could do.

She snorted. "You've seen me at golf… you really think me swinging around a long-stick mallet, trying to hit a ball a good idea?"

Put it like that though... "Then again, maybe it's best you simply watch from the sidelines. Or play cricket. I think a game of cricket should be safe for everyone."

Rolling her eyes, she turned away from him. "I'll catch up with you later."

Smirking, he watched her go before he himself went to join the games. After all, he was not a dangerous hazard to every living creature in a half mile radius.

* * *

It was maybe an hour later that she found him at the shooting range, showing up beside him just as he readied himself for the next shoot. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

The guy handling the throwing machine mistook this as an order for him and let loose three target disks. Logan still managed to hit two and only grazing one of them.

Beside him, Maxie looked from him to the area where the targets he just shot down fell. "Do you hunt as well?"

"Only armed with the camera," he replied with a shrug, reloading his rifle. "Pull!"

Another three disks flew in the air and again his bullets made them explode into a few hundred pieces.

"You're pretty good with that," she mentioned with a frown.

After putting the rifle safety on, he handed the rifle to the next shooter in line. "Me knowing how to handle a firearm and hit my target doesn't automatically mean I also like to shoot a living target. Killing's not really my thing." He stretched himself, craning his neck. "Didn't you have a question?"

"Yeah." She pointed to the scaffold. "I couldn't help but notice that there are people climbing that thing. Why?"

"Aww, Maxie, now you disappoint me, wasting a question for something obvious like that," he said, shaking his head sadly.

"They're gonna jump?" she asked, incredulous.

"And again a question wasted. You continue like that you'll run out of them and gather no information at all."

Her eyes wide, she waved at the scaffold. "Are you guys crazy? That must be at least six-stories high!"

"Seven, actually," he corrected her, proudly. Five stories high had been the record so far.

"Six, seven… tomatoe, tomato. Jumping off that thing has to be dangerous!"

"Well, it is called the Life and Death Brigade. A little danger and adventure has to be part of the deal," he nonchalantly pointed out.

"But living to the outmost like you guys preach and celebrate is kind of hard if you're dead!" she argued.

He waved her protest away. "No one has ever died on one of our stunts. Only old alumni have died, that's about it. As you said, we value life, therefore all our stunts are perfectly safe. Like you'll see for yourself in a little bit when all six of us land safely on our feet in front of you."

Looking up, she squinted her eyes. "I only see four."

"I'm heading up in a moment as well," he told her, calmly.

"Of course, you will. And let me guess? Finn as well?" she guessed.

My, my, she had come to know them pretty well. At least to some degree. "Yeah well, that was the plan but he broke a rib during the games and his place is free now."

Shocked, her head snapped towards him. "Finn broke a rib? Is he okay?"

Touched by her genuine concern, he nodded. "Yeah, he's fine. Probably, the rib's only bruised anyway, we're not sure yet, but he'll be back on his feet in no time. You'll see."

"Good." Her eyes wandered up once again. "So who's jumping then? Colin?"

"For that he'd first have to overcome his fear of heights. I swear, put him on a ladder and he morphs into Jimmy Stewart in _Vertigo_… only he squeals like a blonde in a cheap horror movie," Logan answered with a chuckle. "He's asking around to see who wants the place."

She was still staring up the scaffold. "And it's really safe?"

"As safe as it can be," he assured. "Why? Interested?" he asked in mock, knowing full well the answer to that.

"Yeah. Do you think I can take Finn's place?"

Or perhaps not, he thought dimly as he gaped at her. "What?"

"Finn's place. Is it possible for me to take it?" she repeated.

So he _had_ heard her right. But that was... "You want to jump from a seven-story high scaffold?"

Slowly, she turned her head back to him. "You and those four people up there will do it. You said it's safe. So yeah, why shouldn't I?"

"I..." Yeah, why shouldn't she? "I'm just surprised. You don't seem the type for something freeing like this."

"Now how would you know that? We barely know each other," she asked, her voice taking on an edge.

"Come on, Maxie. You just seem more like the ones who would rather read about something than actually live it," he justified himself, but really, she had to see that her breaking out of her little safe shell was a little bit astonishing.

"I also want to be an overseas correspondent so I can experience life out there. Why not start here and now?" She turned her full attention on him now. "I'm here to write an article on the LDB… who you are, what you do, what you're all about. What better way to get a real inside scoop than by joining you on this stunt?

Her points were of enough value – if he could just wrap his head around her actually asking to join the jump in the first place. Would that girl ever stop throwing curveballs like this at him, flooring him completely?

She was still waiting for an answer from him, rather impatiently. "What's the matter with you? Do you have something against me jumping with you guys?"

"No, of course not," he was quick to reply. "Not at all. I do think this jump will do you good, to go out there and risk something, do something stupid but oh so adventurous nevertheless. Just… are you really sure you want to do this?"

"Jeez, Logan, yes, otherwise I wouldn't have asked to have Finn's place," she huffed, exasperated. "So, what is it now? Am I in or what?"

Staring into her eyes he could only see determination. Well, good for her. He for sure wasn't going to stop her. Actually, sharing this experience with her could turn out to work in his favor. After all, a rush of adrenaline had been grounds for many romantic adventures ever since mankind existed. Oh yeah, the more he thought about it, the more he started to love the idea. Slowly, he nodded. "You're in, Ace. I just need to talk to Colin first." He nodded towards the scaffold. "If you want, you can start your way up. I'll be right after you in a moment."

"All right. You won't have any problem catching up with me. Climbing that thing in these clothes will be a bitch," she sighed, turning away from him.

Looking her attire over, he could only agree. As beautiful as it looked on her, it wasn't made to climb a ladder. "Be careful," he told her, actually asking himself if it was maybe not even best to ask Seth to put her on the safe road as soon as possible, just in case. Those shoes couldn't give her much hold. Hell, her climbing the scaffold in this outfit was probably more dangerous than the actual stunt! "See that guy standing beside the ladder? His name is Seth. Tell him you'll do the jump with me and to secure you right away."

She gave him a strange look, but surprisingly enough, she simply nodded and headed towards Seth without having anything else to remark.

Good girl.

* * *

Like predicted by Maxie, Logan had indeed caught up with her halfway up after his talk with Colin. He had found his friend in the tent where Finn was resting, discussing who they'll allow to fill Finn's place. When Logan told them about Maxie's proposition, Finn had laughed out loud, cheering for the little ace reporter among their midst while Colin had had a hard time believing her doing it at all, let alone it being her idea. When Logan had left to head up himself, they had already moved on to bet on her getting cold feet once up on the scaffold and seeing how high it really was. For once he hadn't joined the bet. He had seen the determination in her eyes. There was no way she was backing out.

If only to prove himself right that he had been wrong about her, he thought with a smirk, climbing higher and higher.

To his relief he noticed that Seth had followed his instruction and had fastened the security harness and cord on her already. He was still quite baffled that she had actually suggested herself to do this. Maybe her dream of being an overseas correspondent had more substance after all than he had thought. Whatever it was that had motivated her to do this step, he respected her for it. If it was courage to do this in order to make her article better, if it was curiosity to see what it was like or if it was simply to break free of the usual safety of her world – her daring to jump with them, fighting for the chance even, was something he admired her for.

Reaching the top, Ken, Seth's partner in crime in designing and building this scaffold, helped her over by the edge of the scaffold's platform before he held out a hand to help him as well. Placing a hand on Maxie's back, he guided her to the edge of the scaffold, handing her an umbrella. While Ken secured him as well, he watched her looking down at the group assembling below to watch them jump, her face losing some of the color the climb had caused.

"You don't have to do this," he told her quietly so no one else would hear them. "No one would take offense if you change your mind."

Taking her eyes off from the sight below, she looked at him. He could see the nervousness in her eyes, the fear – but also determination. "Yeah, I have to," she responded as quietly. "Besides, can't have you having all the fun by yourself." She paused for a moment, a twinkle in her eyes took over the look of anxiety. "Though I think this at least should get me out of that dreadful massage you keep insisting on."

"Nice try," he laughed, opening his umbrella. "But no way am I giving up that massage. Not in a million years." Looking down, he saw Colin giving them the sign that they could jump now. "Ready?"

"No."

"Too bad." He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as he jumped off the scaffold. She squealed, but her hand tightened around his, their fingers interlacing firmly as they fell.

The rush caused by the jump was incredible. Just incredible. Making his heart beat rapidly and high in his chest. The moment they started to fall to the ground, the rush and the motion seemed to be an eternity, although, he knew it could only be a few seconds. But by God, what a moment it was! One single moment of pure freedom, pure perfection.

All too soon, the cord slowed down their fall and his feet already touched the ground, forcing him slightly into his knees. Beside him, Maxie had a harder time finding her balance; letting go of the umbrella, he slang his arm around her waist to steady her. Holding her close to him allowed him to feel her heart beating as wildly as his was and when she looked up at him, he saw the same amazement and wonder written all over her face that he felt as well.

"That was something, huh?" he asked breathlessly.

"Something?" She laughed freely and brightly. "Logan, that was… incredible. Truly an experience of a lifetime!"

He could only wholeheartedly agree. It was an experience of a lifetime, definitely. As this was his third jump since he joined the LDB, never had a jump been so remarkable and marvelous and part of him wondered why this one had been so much more – just more. "Yeah."

Freeing her hand from his, Logan expected her to pull away. So he was quite flabbergasted when instead, she grabbed his face and pulled him down for a harsh, deep and fiery kiss that had his entire body on fire instantly.

Unfortunately, as soon as her lips had captured him, they were gone again and now she stood back, flashing him the most brilliant smile he ever had seen. His mind still in a stupefied freeze, she was whisked away by well-wishing and congratulating Brigadiers before he could think of something to say – or even better, pull her back and reciprocate the kiss with ten times its power.

Then again, he mused while blinking, that maybe that was for the best. Any more passion and the woods around them may just catch fire.

* * *

Much to his chagrin, it was evening until he was finally able to catch up with Rory again. Until then, either he or she had always been in the middle of a group. At last though he had seen her going back to her tent, probably to change into the last set of clothes he had given her for this event and he quickly went to move to his own tent, changing in the meantime his quite sweaty shirt to a black cashmere turtleneck pullover before dashing over to her tent, hoping he hadn't missed her yet. Some low rustling noises from the inside though confirmed to him that she was still in there.

Sitting down once more by the little table outside her tent, he took a deep breath, his eyes focused on the closed tent flap.

The memory of the kiss she had given him after the jump wouldn't leave his mind. And not just because it was one hell of a kiss that practically screamed for more. Far more than that, it confused him. Why had she kissed him? Her kissing him was really not something he had expected. Sure, he had been pretty confident that eventually, she would succumb to his charms, last night only adding fire into that hope, but so far she had always been so very enticingly resisting. Nothing had indicated this sudden mood change. Nothing.

And not just that. _She_ had kissed _him_! He would never ever imagine that their first kiss would be initiated by her at all. She never came across as being forward. With all the blushing and sudden shyness whenever he had come close or had insinuated his very evident sexual interest in her, he had been certain that he would have to take the first step, once the time had come. Now instead, he had just only been able to stand there like a stupid teenage boy receiving his first kiss!

And that him!

He hadn't been as surprised into immobility as that since... Ever! Never had a girl managed to do that, not even his first one.

Of course though, back then, he had kissed the girl, not the other way around. Still, even later on, the more forward girls had taken the initiative but they never had managed to shock him like Rory had been able to do with that kiss.

That was another thing. Why had that damn kiss affected him so much? Why on Earth was he sitting here now like a loser, contemplating this searing kiss, rather than going in there and finally kiss her back? Preferably without leaving that tent again until they had to head back to school tomorrow.

But deep inside, he knew that despite her kiss this afternoon, the possibilities of having anything more was being wishful in his part rather than being realistic. Don't ask him how he was so sure about that, he just was.

The tent flap was pushed to the side and the little troublemaker occupying his very thoughts stepped out, clad in the pale lilac gown with the short, black cashmere blazer he had gotten for her. Not all of the Brigadiers would change for the rather mellow affair in the evening. He had brought another change of clothes for himself because after the jump and all the games, he had known he would need to change clothes. He got this lilac gown – which would give her some warmth during the outdoor, formal dinner – for Rory only because he could not decide between the dark blue, which she had worn during the day and this one. And besides, he was uncertain if she'd let him buy her clothes ever again or even go out with him again at all. So in the end, he bought the blue and lilac gowns, knowing she would be beautiful in both of them and wanting to see her wear them both.

His eyes trailing her delicate body up and down, he slowly nodded to himself. Just as he had thought. She looked stunning in it.

Seeing him, her steps faltered for a second before she sauntered over to him, hips swinging so lightly that he doubted strongly that she put any extra effort into it. All the more enticing, he thought, feeling part of him harden with determination.

"You're here as my watchdog or date for the evening?" she asked, stopping in front of him, looking down at him.

For a short moment he had a vision of her sitting down onto his lap, straddling him, and he had to suppress an embarrassing groan as he became even harder.

Fuck it. He was no inexperienced school boy anymore, for Heaven's sake. She should not be able to put him into such a state!

With more force than intended, he stood up, determined to cool himself down. Not an easy task, especially not with the temptation standing right in front of him, but as it was established, he was no school boy anymore. He was in control. Flashing her a dashing smile, he held out his arm for her to hook under. "By participating in this year's stunt, you don't need a watchdog anymore."

Actually, she was now officially a member but he wasn't going to tell her that until after her article came out. Who knew, maybe she got the screwed idea that they had taken her only to stop the article from being published.

"Do I? Huh. Nice," she replied, a twinkle still evident in her eyes. "So this is just the date part?"

"You bet it is," he emphasized. "After all..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she interrupted him with an eyeroll. "The deal is that this is the second date. You know, I don't have exactly the memory of an elephant but I do, barely, manage to remember a few things without you reminding me."

"Well, you do show certain tendencies to forget parts of our deal, like the back massage I have to keep reminding you, so I deem it justified to help you along once or twice," he replied, leading her once more to the clearing where they had gathered last night.

"I assure you, it's not necessary. As for the massage, forgive me, but I do like to ignore things I really don't want to do or don't like, which both is the case here. But as you have said, you won't let me forget it, so..." She stopped cold as her sight fell onto the clearing, all prepared for tonight's festivities. "Oh my..."

"Speechless the lady is, me thinks," Logan chuckled, glad to see how impressed she was. Taking a good look around, he couldn't blame her.

China, silverware and glassware were elegantly and properly placed on each side of long tables covered with white linen and chandeliers lighted the whole dinner area. The planned banquet, a silver service dinner in grand style, was going to be performed by waiters in hangmen attires. A little to the north side of the tables, an orchestra played decent classical music of the middle ages; the musicians clad in attires that were in fashion for that historical period. Much later, after the seven-course dinner, they would change the music to rock and pop so the party could really liven up.

Finding her voice again, Maxie definitely didn't ask a question he had expected. "What would you have done if it had rained?"

He smirked. Why was he surprised even? "Gotten wet?"

Shaking her head, she turned to him. "Oh no, not getting away that easy, Mister. I'm serious. All the games, the stunt, last night's event and now this… what would you have done if the weather hadn't been this good?" she narrowed her eyes. "You got some weather machine hidden somewhere here?"

"We are a powerful group," he deadpanned without even blinking once.

To his immense enjoyment, she whined. "Logan!"

"Rory!"

Oh, now he was rewarded with a glare. He laughed. "Seriously, Maxie. It's no big deal. We closely watched the weather reports. They only promised good weather. Otherwise, we would have just ordered a few party tents. As for the games and stunts… we're the Life and Death Brigade, a little rain won't stop us. Now come on, the banquet will start any moment now."

He led her to the head of the U-shape table where Colin and Finn were already seated with the other four jumpers. Holding out the chair for her, he let her sit down between himself and Finn.

Acting again as the ceremonial master, Colin stood up as Logan sat down. "Fellow Brigadiers. It's time for the traditional closing banquet." He raised his hand, performing a fancy wave. "Garçons!"

From the trees, a line of waiters, dressed as hangmen appeared, carrying plates with soup.

Colin raised his glass of champagne, everyone following him. "In Omnia Paratus!"

"In Omnia Paratus!"

* * *

"Jeez, I am full. So full like it shouldn't even be possible to be full. Ugh. This is worse than Thanksgiving," Rory groaned, pushing the second and last dessert plate far away from her.

"No one forced you to eat everything served, really, without leaving anything on the plate either, Maxie," Logan pointed out to her, halfway amused, halfway stunned about how much one single person, and with as delicate and petite a figure as this person had, could eat.

"No, I couldn't. First, it would be a terrible waste, second, it is a mission. If challenged with food, a Gilmore girl does not waver or back down," Rory explained, leaning back with closed eyes. "You just might have to roll me back to New Haven though. I'm not sure I'll still fit into the car tomorrow."

"I think you'll manage," Finn said, gazing at her with big, admiring eyes. "Love, I gotta say, I bow in awe to you. I never in my life had as much fun watching anyone eat as tonight. It sure was a treat."

Halfway opening her eyes again, she regarded the Australian. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"Just that it is beautiful to see a girl enjoying her food for a change, that's all," Finn answered as innocently.

Logan snickered. He wasn't sure if Rory's innocence was only acted or not, but he definitely knew that Finn's was. While he undoubtedly was right and that it indeed was refreshing to be in the presence of someone who wasn't dieting, it was rather the way she ate that had Finn admiring. Rory ate as if each single bite was a little orgasm, especially the dessert. To watch her savoring each bite had been one of the sexiest damn things he had ever seen and it looked as if Finn agreed wholeheartedly in that point. He couldn't blame him, of course not. But Logan was surprised to see that a tiny part of him was actually annoyed at Finn's open interest.

Looking away, he swirled the scotch in his glass, thinking about that. Between the three of them, there never had been any jealousy involved. Generally, they stayed away from each other's flings of the moment – but none of them had ever minded if anyone had thrown an eye on the girl as well – or even taken her into their bed, once the other was done with her.

Hell, this rarely had happened.

It looked though as if this unsaid cardinal rule among them was not going to work with Rory. He may hate it, but for once, Logan didn't like anyone else ogling, not even his best friends. And he knew instinctively that there was no way he'd ever be ready to share her with anyone, most certainly not another guy.

Huh.

He was really possessive of her, he realized with a start, flabbergasted. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn't do possessive. He didn't do jealousy.

Beside him, Rory and Finn were still bantering. Then Finn suddenly grabbed one of her hands with both of his, giving her his best puppy dog eyes and Logan felt, deep down, an uncomfortable feeling rear its ugly head again.

But apparently, all of a sudden he did do those things.

"Come on, Love, just one dance. You can't say no to me!" Finn pleaded.

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because it's me!" Finn answered, looking at her as if she really should know better than to ask such a stupid question.

"Sorry, Finn, it may be you, but no can do. This full stomach refuses to move for at least half an hour," Rory, much to Logan's relief, declined the invitation.

"But..."

"She said no, Finn," Logan interrupted him, wincing at how unfriendly he sounded even to his own ears.

Rory didn't seem to notice it but Finn sure gave him a curious look. He had every right to. Finn was his best friend after all and not doing anything he hadn't done a hundred times before.

Still. This time, it was different.

"Leave her alone," he told him quietly, relieved that at least this time, his words weren't sounding as harsh as just before. Maybe more pleading, but with that he could live better.

Finn's green eyes pierced him, surprise quickly fading to a knowing realization that was beyond Logan, something that he didn't want to touch right now. If ever. Holding up his hands, Finn sat back. "All right, man. Your loss. Dancing with me is an experience of a lifetime, I assure you."

"Thanks, but I had enough of those today," Rory answered, seemingly unaware of the silent conversation that had just taken place between Logan and Finn.

As if on cue, a redhead appeared behind Finn. "Come on, Finn, you promised me a dance!"

Turning around, Finn looked at her up and down, his charmer grin appearing on his face. "I have, haven't I? Then by all means, let's not have you wait for this best experience of your life any longer."

Giving them a dirty grin, he let himself be dragged away.

"Finn for sure has no inferiority complex, huh?"

Dragging his eyes away from his friend's retreating back, Logan met Rory's amused gaze. "Not really, no." Holding her eyes, his need to know what was going on suddenly became overwhelming. "Why did you kiss me?"

Surprised, Rory cocked her head to the side. "It's called an adrenaline rush. I would have thought you, Mr. Life and Death Brigade, are familiar with the concept."

Well yeah, he was. But... "And that's it? Just adrenaline?"

"Yeah, I just felt like it. Why?" Her eyes bored into his. "What else should it have been?"

Yeah, what else should it have been? That, he didn't know. But it definitely had been more than just adrenaline rush. He knew that one and the kiss had been something entirely different. Not willing to let her see his confusion though, he forced himself to shrug it off. "Dunno. You realizing what a great catch I am and finally succumbing to what your body knows since our first meeting?"

Both her eyebrows shot up. "And what would that be?"

"That we will have fantastic sex together," he pointed out the obvious.

He wasn't too surprised when she started to laugh hard. After all, she was oblivious to these things, apparently. Otherwise, they would have had sex already a long time ago. But that was okay. Sometimes, waiting a while was worth it and he was sure, waiting for this girl would pay out huge dividends.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Huntzberger," Rory said, once her laughter died down a bit. "Don't let that kiss get into your head. You and I are still a long way from jumping each other's bones."

"Hmm, about a hundred and ten feet," he guessed with a smirk, nodding towards where the tents were.

Shaking her head, she actually tapped his hand. "Dream on, Buster."

"Oh, I will, don't worry. And once it's time, you'll see how good those dreams had been and you'll beg to star forever in my dreams if that's the salary you get for it." Logan watched with pleasure as her cheeks colored at his blunt reply, the same time as her eyes sharpened into the all too familiar glare.

That was his Maxie.

"You are just sick."

"Nah, just horny. After all, my date's been holding out on me for two days now, not counting all the lonely time before we got here," he reminded her, wriggling an eyebrow at her.

To his surprise, instead of working up a temper as he had expected her to, she suddenly laughed again. "You are impossible and obnoxious. And funny. Let's leave it at that and enjoy the rest of this truly memorable event before you let out something out of that mouth of yours that really annoys me."

For a moment, Logan thought to protest, but then let it go as well. "So, what do you suggest instead?"

Smiling, Rory nodded over to the dance floor. "Hmm, how about some more dance lessons?"

It was his turn to cock his head. "I thought your stomach was on strike?"

"That was before. When there had only been that awful head-banging and jumping music. Now that they are playing something slow that I can dance to, my stomach has no protest anymore," she explained, her smile deepening.

Standing up, he held a hand out to her. When she placed her hand on his, he smirked, pulling her up. "Just admit it, Maxie. You just want to dance with only me and no one else."

She rolled her eyes. "Uh, let me think for a moment... Nope. Definitely not that."

"You just keep telling yourself that. We both know better," he shrugged off her comment, leading her over to the dance floor. "And admit it: you were listening to the girls behind you in line for the ladies' room, complaining about their feet after Finn danced with them last night, didn't you?"

Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "Huh. I thought that hangovered blonde girl in front of me looked a little familiar. And here I thought you aren't into cross-dressing. It's always the ones you think no way, right? But now that you've mentioned it, your hips are kind of curvy and though seeing you almost always these past days, I didn't even notice the slightest shadow of a beard. Estrogen surely would also explain all these delusions you keep on having. Hey, any trips to Sweden planned anytime soon?"

Oh, she was good! Pulling her into his arms, he looked down into her eyes. "Nah, not anytime soon. But what about you? Wouldn't have thought you being into the same gender either. I mean, you kissed me, right? So if..."

"Logan?" she interrupted him.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and dance with me."

Grinning, he saluted her. "Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

"Here we are again," Logan mused, turning to Rory as they stopped in front of her tent, a couple of hours later.

Hours. They once again had spent hours dancing; he had managed to talk her into a little walk before heading back towards her tent. Interestingly, they had managed to refrain from their usual banter and actually had a quite fascinating debate on the president's latest achievements and debacles. She sure knew her politics, that he had to give her.

"Yes, seems so." Looking at her tent briefly, she turned to face him. "And before you ask, yeah, it had been fun. This whole day… the event even and amazingly so, even spending time with you one on one was surprisingly not so painful after all."

Clutching his chest, Logan threw back his head in a theatric gesture. "Ah, my poor heart! To hear such endearments from the lips of my beloved milady! Stop, stop, I do not know how much more I could bear. So hush now, my sweet virgin and let words not mar the beauty of this perfect moment."

Crossing her arms, she gave him a look. "Finished now?"

"I guess, yeah," Logan nodded, letting his hand drop on his sides again.

She sighed, her arms falling on her sides also. "A little advise… scratch acting from your career list. Trust me, that's not the right thing for you."

"My literature teacher in Andover would vehemently disagree. He still cries because I didn't choose to join the Shakespeare theater club after being the lead performer in no less than three plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello," he informed her.

"Oh well, that probably explains why Andover rates about five places behind Chilton. Know that my performance as Juliet is still talked about in awe in the halls of Chilton," she told him, nodding for emphasis.

Taking a step forward, right into her personal space, he looked down at her. "And who was your Romeo, Juliet?"

Her lips opened just a bit for the tip of her tongue to briefly flash up. Blinking, she leaned back slightly. "You wouldn't guess."

He leaned down just a bit. "No?"

She smiled. "No."

"Was he good?" he asked, huskily.

"Depends," she whispered back.

"On what?"

"On how you look upon it. There was no last kiss in the dying scene..."

What? And forgo a chance to kiss those luscious lips? Idiot! "Well, definitely a loser then."

"... but as my Romeo was Paris, I think it was rather good thinking of her to forgo the kiss on that one," she finished her sentence.

He needed a second to process her words. When he did, he drew back, blinking. "_Paris?_"

She grinned widely. "Hmm. The original Romeo couldn't make it so she stepped in."

"That's just..." He had no words for it. To ruin such a moment with something like Paris being his Maxie's Romeo. Really...

"Then again, maybe her going through with the kiss would have been better after all. Turns out, she's one damn good kisser, if I may say so myself. That kiss she gave me last year on spring break?" She fanned herself. "Puh, Logan, what can I say? I simply can't forget it. And any kiss since then just has to automatically measure up to it. Can't say many achieved that since then."

_What?!_

"Goodnight, Logan!" Laughing brightly, the little blue-eyed devil twirled around and practically danced into her tent, the flap falling close behind her.

Logan could just stare after her, open-mouthed, trying to get his mind around Paris and Maxie kissing on spring break.

Oh, what a cruel, cruel way to cheat him out of his goodnight kiss!

* * *

TBC!

_(Author's note: I know. It had been AGES since I updated this one. Partly because I thought it best to put it on the backburner while working on the other, more progressed stories, partly because originally, I really wanted to do a different LDB event than on the show. While having a few other ideas that you may see here or in other stories of mine one day, in the end, I realized that the show's version is just perfect, so why change it after all? I like the significance of it, the double meanings. So same event with quite some twists though. I do hope you had as much fun reading this as me writing it. And I hope the next chapter won't take as long as this one did. Thank you all for your continued support and enjoy!)_


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